Witch Femme
by PerennialOutlander
Summary: 17 LOADED. School hierarchy demands that he be her tormentor.A twist of fate , and now all the rules have changed. Will the tormentor and his victim be able to handle it? AU fic. KaiXOCXRei
1. The Trip

Witch-Bitch

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Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: there will be a lot of cussing & swearing in this fic.

2nd Warning: this is complete AU.

* * *

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari, at fiercekai()cjb()net (pretend the brackets are dots), for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; countless music artists that have inspired me to all ends ; all the creators of every single Animè & Manga for helping my imagination & figure-drawing to grow; Mrs Moore, Mrs Slabbert & Mrs de Bruyn for inspiring me to always to try; my mom & dad ,first, for always encouraging me, second, for putting up with the endless hours of internet and third, for paying the huge internet bill ; my e-mail pal, Fay, for listening to me always; and Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

* * *

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

A Note: in essence I have been warned. The title of this story is 'Witch-Bitch' and will always be 'Witch-Bitch' but to the outside public and Fanfiction.admin it will be titled 'Witch-Broad'. In the Oxford Thesaurus CD-ROM, a synonym for 'bitch' is 'broad'. This has been a blow. Thank you for reading this.

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Chapter 1: The Trip

His POV

"Witch, witch, you're a bitch! Bitch, bitch, you're a witch! Witch-bitch, witch-bitch…" my crowd chanted around me as I circled the girl sitting on the bench. She just sat there, taking this crap from me. there was no reaction on her face. She just kept looking down at the ground. _How could this little slut take this? _I thought to myself. The school's hierarchy dictated that she should be punished for what she was: an outsider. She didn't fit in, she never would fit in. I had been named her tormentor, and I had taken the part with some reluctance in eighth grade, but I had grown into it over the years. I looked at her again.

She was the nerd, the creep of twelfth grade. She never hung out with any of the other seniors; rather, she stuck with the losers of grade eleven and ten. She didn't even fit in with them. You wouldn't even catch her outside, she always stayed in the library, at one of the tables, reading or writing. She didn't bother making friends with anybody in her class, she stuck out like a sore thumb. She was one of the smarter kids in the class but she never spoke up. Nobody liked her. She just took all of this crap in her stride.

She didn't even try to make an effort with her looks. She always wore her black glasses and had her hair tied up. Her uniform was baggy and she had the longest skirt in the entire school. This didn't seem to change until eleventh grade when it seemed she began to experiment. Her hair changed colour every few months, and she began to wear a necklace under her shirt. She began to display some strange characteristics. In class, she would doodle on her hand, making the most bizarre designs. She would chat to the girl next to her, making these little comments that would make the girl burst out giggling and cause us to all stare at her. And on Casual… that's when it became scary. This little slut thought she could be one of us. Be cool. Her! What was she thinking?

This little thing wanted to be cool! The world will start to revolve backwards before we let that happen. And as I circled around her, I began to get angrier and angrier at her. She had no right! I stopped in front of her .

"hey witch-bitch! You think you're so smart, don't you? you're just another piece of shit that we have to scrape off our shoes at this school. Are you even listening to me?" I snapped in her face. She flinched back. good, a reaction. I shoved her shoulder. She steadied herself, ignoring me still. I shoved her again. This time she nearly fell over but she maintained her balance again.

"c'mon, fight back you little cunt. You too good for us, is that it? speak up!" I yelled into her face. A car hooted behind us, an irritating tune that grated my nerves. She grabbed her bag off the ground and shoved her way past me and the dispersing crowd. I turned my head and saw her climb into this ancient blue Volkswagen. I smirked at her. She just kept her eyes on me the whole time she was driving away. She would get what she deserved tomorrow. No-one walked away from me without paying. No-one walked away from Kai Hiwatari.

Her POV

_Why does he always pick on me? I never did anything to him,_ I thought tiredly. I could see his venomous glare through the glass as mom drove away. There was silence for a while. I waited.

"so, how was today?" mom asked.

"headache-y as usual, mom," I replied, feeling automatic as I said it. the headache was pounding behind my eyes and temples as I said it. mom looked at me like always, worried and sympathetic.

"when we get to my work, dig around in my red bag. There should be some adco in there somewhere." I smiled briefly. I always have a headache when I come home from school. It usually starts around second period and hangs around till I get home. My thoughts turned back to what happened today. I rubbed my shoulder absently as I watched the traffic. I had hoped that Kai wouldn't start getting physical this year. He had usually stuck to taunts and swearing at me. I could easily block those out by concentrating on looking for mom's car, or if I was in the mood, concentrate on the next chapter of one of my stories. Now, it was getting more difficult.

"any bad stuff today?" mom asked. I winced inwardly. What should I tell her?

"the headache, for one. And Mister Andrews gave us more historical work again. I'm so sick of him and his propagandial English work." Mom looked at me. she knew there was something else. I looked down at my hands. I didn't want to tell her anything because she was my mom, but at the same time, she was my friend and I just wanted to cry on her shoulder. I sighed , looking out the window.

"anything else?"

"no," I snapped at her. "I don't want to talk about it," I said more softly. She looked away, leaving it at that. I just wanted to get home and read. I don't want to have to deal with what happened today. My thoughts ran on in a whirlwind of colours and idea boxes when my mom snapped me out of my thoughts. She had just parked and was trying to get my attention.

"yeah mom?" I said slowly. She smiled at my dreaminess.

"you remember your dad's friend, Mister Voltaire?" she asked me. I vaguely recalled dad talking about him. dad was always happy when he was talking about his friends, especially that man, Voltaire. It seemed like they get along very well.

"sort of. What about him? " mom began getting out of the car and I followed suit.

"well, he's heard about your high marks in English and he was wondering whether he could ask you a favour," she answered, her back to me as we climbed the stairs. I was beginning to feel a little uneasy.

"what type of favour?" I asked apprehensively. We reached her office, the air conditioning whirling behind the door.

"he was wondering whether you would tutor his grandson. He said he's been having some trouble lately, and his marks have been going down quite rapidly." She began searching for her keys on the Key-ring of Hell, as I fondly called it. this favour didn't sound so bad. I've never tutored before, unless you count the times that I just helped people when they asked me questions at school. I said this to mom.

"doesn't sound so bad. Who's his grandson?" I asked. She finally found her key and unlocked the door.

"I believe you do know him, he's in your grade. Name's Kai Hiwatari. Do you know him?" she asked as she walked through. I stood there, stunned into disbelief. She couldn't be serious! Not the boy that's been torturing me my entire high-school life! Not him! I was frozen beyond feeling. My mom turned around, sensing something was wrong. She looked at me, concerned.

"Becky, are you okay? You look sick all of a sudden! What's wrong?" she asked anxiously, rushing towards me, feeling my forehead. Me, Becky Kristine, okay? No way was I okay, no way was I all right! Senior year had just turned into an earth-bound hell!

"everything's fine, mom. The air-conditioning is just really high, that's all."

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**To be continued…**

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GB


	2. I'd like to introduce

Witch-Bitch

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: there will be a lot of cussing & swearing in this fic. 

2nd Warning: this is complete AU. 

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari,  at fiercekai.cjb.net,  for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; countless music artists that have inspired me to all ends ; all the creators of every single Animè & Manga for helping my imagination & figure-drawing to grow; Mrs Moore, Mrs Slabbert & Mrs de Bruyn for inspiring me to always to try; my mom & dad ,first, for always encouraging me, second, for putting up with the endless hours of internet and third, for paying the huge internet bill ; my e-mail pal, Fay, for listening to me always; and Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

A Note: in essence I have been warned. The title of this story is 'Witch-Bitch' and will always be 'Witch-Bitch' but to the outside public and Fanfiction.admin it will be titled 'Witch-Broad'. In the Oxford Thesaurus CD-ROM, a synonym for 'bitch' is 'broad'. This has been a blow. Thank you for reading this.

Chapter 2: I'd like to introduce…

His POV

Here I was. In front of her gate. I couldn't believe that Grandfather had set me up like this. It's not like I needed help. Fuck, they can get so … I don't know. I didn't get off my bike. I stayed put on the leather seat of my Suzuki Katana 750, the only present that ever set Grandfather on edge. He'd rather I had asked for a Jaguar or any other sports car, but I said hell no. oddly, a car felt restricting. This motorbike had been my freedom from the politics, from the shouting, from all the shit going on in my world. 

It was a pale, dirty-silver colour, with midnight blue stripes starting from the front and ending in dagger points before the back. my black leather jacket was zipped right up the collar covering my neck, my helmet clutched in my hands. The day had started calm, but it was so fucking cold! I wish I had instead taken one of the spare cars locked in the garage as Grandfather's collection, but the boys had been very iffy about my performance the past week. they were on my case and I had to perform twenty-four seven. I pulled off my helmet and gazed at the botanical jungle seeping over the fence. My head was pounding , throbbing solidly against my skull, hammering behind my eyes. Maintaining social equity drained you of all the energy you were reborn with every day.

I slipped off the bike, pulling the keys out of the ignition and stuffing them into my jacket pocket. I walked three steps before reaching an actual sea-man's bell, the  knotted cord hanging out of the hollow cup. I stared at it, wondering if her family was just as bad, or even worse than her. I leaned over the fence. _Come on, do they seriously think I'm going to ring that thing?_ There was a door open on the far side of the house, but I had to scratch that idea off my list .what if they told Grandfather? I would be in so much shit, he would ground me for months, that probably including my bike. So, with much more hatred in my mind for Becky, I gripped the cord and rang it loudly. I then waited for someone to emerge.

Her POV

I heard a loud clanging drift through the house from outside. I groaned. I knew who it was, and I didn't want to have to deal with anyone right now. I get like that when I'm enjoying myself. I took my time shutting down the programs open on my computer. The paint program where I was re-pixelising a damaged picture of Raphael I had found lurking in my files. The story chapter I was working on that had to be up that weekend. "shit, shit, shit, shit and shit," I mumbled as I switched off the computer. The torture was about to begin.

I ducked outside, the frigid air hitting me as I closed the door behind me. when I came around the corner, Kai was leaning nonchalantly against his bike. God, I really loved that bike. My mom and dad refused to buy me one, or let me even work towards purchasing an old model and restoring it with help from manuals and our next-door neighbour. Just because my father had a bad accident with one, doesn't mean that I can't get one. All I do at the moment is watch and love them from afar. That's really hard to do when your arch-enemy, your polar opposite, is riding the most gorgeous one you've ever seen in your life.

Snapping myself out of my thoughts, I began unlocking the gate. Immediately I heard a clacking of nails against the bricked pathway. I watched Kai's face as my border collies and basset-spaniel ran around the corner and began barking at the top of their lungs at him. it was so much fun to watch the shock appear on his face, with a little bit of fear mixed in them.

" they won't bite, promise! They're always like this with strangers at the gate! Just come in, and mind the brown one!" I yelled above their barking. I swung open the fence and he raced in. they calmed down at once and began jumping on him, eager for some affectionate rubbing. He didn't look at all eager about that. can't say that I've never felt the same way about them; I'm more of a cat person. I introduced my hounds, rubbing their heads quickly to try and calm them down, edging my way to the door.

I signalled to him to be friendly and he scratched their ears. Happy with their new friend , they ran off into the back yard. Without saying a word, I lead him to the kitchen door. Thankfully, my black cat was asleep and didn't want to go for walkies today. I lead him through to the lounge and pointed toward the couch.

"I need to get our stuff, and I still need to change. Where would you'd like to work : the lounge, on the floor; the dining room table or upstairs in the study?" I asked tersely. He stared at me for a while.

"you pick," he said snidely. _I wish I could slap that look off your face!_ I turned about face and left him there in the lounge, not offering him anything. If he was going to be like that, for all the help that I'm going to have to give him, then he wouldn't get my host act. I shut my door and began to change, grabbing my books off the shelf at the same time. It was going to be a long afternoon.

His POV

She was trying to be civil. I grudgingly respected her for that. she was trying to make the best of a situation that was going to be excruciatingly painful. But I couldn't drop the act. it was too ingrained. Having done it through that period of growing where everything is crazy, it had been the only solid thing in my life. It wasn't an act anymore. It was, just, in private, without all the people looking over your shoulder all the time, I never resorted to swearing, or cussing. I liked to play with words, use them as you would use a double-edged sword. That was the way to play with your enemies.

I dropped my head in my hands. My mind was too tired for all these thoughts, and it was definitely too tired to concentrate on literature. _why didn't I just stay home?_ It would have so much easier. After what felt like an eternity, I looked up to find myself staring at a multicoloured cat looking at me with a complete clueless expression on its face. I couldn't help but smile as it edged towards me. it came in little hops and skips, getting distracted by anything and everything that creaked or groaned. Finally, it stopped in front of me just enough to sniff me, then jumped up on the couch and proceeded to have its bath. Before I knew it, it was fast asleep next to me, its heavy purring warming my thigh. Maybe, in some weird way, this cat sensed my inner distress and was trying  to calm me. _or maybe, just maybe, you're going loony-toons, Hiwatari._

I heard a scuffling from in front of me. looking up, a lightning bolt hit me. who the fuck was that?! did Becky have an identical twin sister I didn't know about? Was the some perverted joke on her part? Did Grandfather set them up to this? Because that wasn't the Becky I hated standing in front of me, her hand resting on her hip, her books held in her other arm. It…it couldn't be! It wasn't possible! She was … 

**To be continued…**

GB


	3. Kicking It

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: there will be a lot of cussing & swearing in this fic, so apologies to those that take offence.

2nd Warning: this is complete AU.

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari, at fiercekai()cjb()net (pretend the brackets are dots) , for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; countless music artists that have inspired me to all ends ; all the creators of every single Animè & Manga for helping my imagination & figure-drawing to grow; Mrs Moore, Mrs Slabbert & Mrs de Bruyn for inspiring me to always to try; my mom & dad ,first, for always encouraging me, second, for putting up with the endless hours of internet and third, for paying the huge internet bill ; my e-mail pal, Fay, for listening to me always; and Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

* * *

Author's Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution.

* * *

Chapter 3: Kicking it

Her POV

He was sitting there, staring at my cat fast asleep next to his leg, _little slut, _when he suddenly looked up. He looked as if I had thrown a bucket of ice-cold water in face. It was eerie the way that he stared at me standing there, seeming to see me for the very first time. I didn't know what to do. his mahogany eyes had me locked into stillness, even as they gazed up and down, I don't know where, I could only think… Suddenly he stood up, startling me out of my daze. He seemed edgy, nervous for some reason.

"I, uh… I have to go. Something really important just… came up." He didn't even wait for my answer before rushing out of the door. suddenly I realized what he was doing and ran after him, my bare feet slapping against the tiled floor, but I was already too late. I heard the roar of his motorcycle and then watched as he wheeled around and drove off. I turned around and walked back inside, closing the door behind me.

I didn't understand what just happened. I really didn't. I gathered up my books where I had dropped them on the table and walked back slowly to my room, treading the stairs heavily. I know that I shouldn't be wondering about his behaviour. _Probably one of his tricks,_ I tried to tell myself. But something was nagging at me, something that wasn't pleasant. _Fuck it, I don't want to think anymore! _I shouted in my head, throwing the books onto my desk. They landed with a hollow thud and skittered off the edge, landing in a heap on the floor. I looked at them, gritting my teeth at my sudden rage. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply through my mouth, my hands curling into fists at my sides. It wasn't time to get angry.

The phone started ringing just as I started breathing. Its twin upstairs followed suit and began ringing as well. My head was pounding. I didn't want to answer it, but it kept ringing, the caller on the other side refusing to give up. I finally went to the phone and checked the number against my memory. It wasn't familiar at all, but it was in this region. _Strange._ I inhaled and picked up the receiver.

"hello, this is the Kristine residence, who's calling?" I let out before the other .

"Becky, is that you?" a husky male voice asked, oddly familiar.

"yeah, who's speaking?" I asked back.

"come on, Becky, don't you recognise my voice? It's Ricky. Ricky Ozanne!" my mouth gaped open for a second.

"Ricky?! My god, is it really you? how've you been? Where are you? why are you call-"

"whoa, slow down there Beck. I'll answer everything, but your third question I'll answer first. I'm back!" he said in triumph. Triumph of what, I'm not really sure.

"Back? back where?"

"could you be any denser? I'm back home! My dad got transferred back home!"

His POV

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! What's wrong with you? why'd you suddenly run out of there like the Antichrist was after you?_ I chided myself, speeding around the curves , not looking at the speedometer. I couldn't believe that I hadn't handled it coolly. I couldn't believe that I had run out there like some fool. The engine revved underneath me and I realised I was gripping the handle in death. I eased my grip and began slowing down.

_What just happened? _I honestly didn't know. When she appeared, it was like I had just been visited with an unearthly message. _Jesus, you sound like a moron! _I shook my head slightly, trying to dislodge the voice inside my head that kept thinking about her. I almost drove into the back of a Landrover when the shock hit me. I wheeled crazily to the side of the road and shut off the engine, still gripping the handlebars. _Am I thinking about her? What's got into my system?_ I felt sick to my stomach, something that I had never felt before. My heart was thudding heavily against my ribs, my head following its beat. God, what was wrong with me? _I need to get home._

Like in slow motion, I started up the engine again and rode off slowly to my house. The thought felt like the only solution at the moment and I followed it blindly, praying that this sickness I felt clinging to me would evaporate .

Her POV

I placed the phone back into its cradle, feeling very strange. My system felt like it was pumped full of adrenaline, like I had just written a challenging exam, and on the other hand, I felt deflated. Some small part of my brain warned me that this was another of my swings but I ignored it as usual and felt its dark gaze wash over me as I stared outward at nothing.

Snapping out my funk, I felt my eyes settle on the key rack. My keys dangled on a lower hook, the small coin key-chain glinting at me. I don't know why I was feeling so depressed. I just felt cold, and I didn't know its cause. I grabbed them and ran back up to my room, shoving on my boots and grabbing my jacket. Opening my wardrobe, I pulled out a heavy backpack and shouldered it. I quickly checked all the windows and doors were shut ,the animals in the house and yard before I locked up and began walking in the opposite direction Kai had ridden off. I kept my head down as my thoughts wandered in all directions.

_Am I angry at Kai for doing that to me? is it the uncharacteristic call from Ricky that's causing me to act this way?_ Suddenly I stopped in my tracks._ Who am I ? where am I? this isn't me, not my world, what's going on?!_ My thoughts screeched out. my brain switched back on and I realised I had another lapse of amnesia. I shuddered inside, squelching the desire to start crying. I was having more and more of these attacks; coming out of nowhere, they would completely take over and I couldn't recall anything, I didn't know who I was or where I was. It started in elementary school, second grade, when mom came and picked me up once. I rubbed my hand across my eyes, underneath my glasses, remembering the day vividly. I was standing outside when suddenly I couldn't remember what she looked like, couldn't remember her eyes, her voice, her hair. I was so frightened, I didn't know who to go home with. And then she had walked up to me and said my name and I looked at her blankly. I couldn't remember this lady, who was she? But I went with her anyway, confusion still running in my head. And then I remembered, this was mom! And I forgot all about it. I puzzle over this and wonder again why it started.

I snapped myself out of the past and realised I was at The Ellipse. I walked through the main building, got my customary greeting from the owner and walked into the unisex locker room. They didn't have separate locker rooms because the girls that did come here were a very, very small minority; I got used to the sight of naked boys very quickly during the summer. I opened my locker and unzipped my bag, taking out my stuff. I changed into my faded jeans and black zippered shirt, pulling off my boots and laced on my blades, then covering my hands with my gloves, elbows and knees with pads before taking off my glasses. I attached my keys to my belt and locked the door, helmet in hand. I stopped off at the long horizontal mirror and put in my contacts, cringing at the necessary contact. I skated out to the Manual Wheel and smiled briefly at the fact that I was almost alone. A sudden blast of music startled me and I wheeled around, only to see Max, the owner's kid, waving at me from the booth. I smiled back at him and gave him the Vulcan sign in thanks. He solemnly flashed it right back at me, along with the victory v on his other hand. I began weaving in and out of the obstacles slowly in time with the music . it began to free my mind from the day, slowly calming me and directing my energy and feelings into the movement.

_…tried to give you warning_

_but everyone ignore me_

_told you everything loud and clear_

_but nobody's listening…_

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**To be continued…**

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Song used : Nobody's listening – Linkin park

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Thanks go to :

Icy Anonymous : "she was what?" will be answered as we explore her character. Sorry I kept you waiting!

Raven Monarch : thank you for the compliment. I think it's a good story too.

anime-obsessed:P : sorry that I have not updated soon enough… for my liking or anyone else's…

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PerennialOutlander: amazingly, I recently got a zing-

(realises what she said and edges away slowly from Max)

PerennialOutlander: -about this fic. I've got a really cool twist with two of the minor characters that could branch out, and I've developed a character a little more to my liking. Thanks to those that sent out their energy. And if you don't like the detail , tough. I am exploring characters and events that might happen. Enjoy the slowness while you can. Wait, you already did that-

(Lenai hits her upside the head)

PerennialOutlander: ow! What'd you do that for?!

Lenai: you are rambling.

Ray: but she's so cute when she does.

PerennialOutlander: hey, I never invited you into this conversation! Bug off!

Ray: nah, I think I'll stick around

PerennialOutlander: what is this, a Kai sound-alike contest?!

Ray: grr…

PerennialOutlander: running away now…

Lenai : oi vey…

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GB 


	4. So you use Sarcasm a Lot

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: there will be a lot of cussing & swearing in this fic, so apologies to those that take offence.

2nd Warning: this is complete AU.

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari, at fiercekai()cjb()net (pretend the brackets are dots), for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

* * *

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: this may sound like I'm making the story act out in real-time (realistic-type shows, like the NEWS), but to me, it's just realistic Animè.

Author's 3rd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah , Becky, Louise and Tessa (the last 3 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

* * *

Chapter 4: So you use sarcasm a lot.

His POV

The bag swung towards me, its heavy weight controlled by the single chain screwed into the ceiling, and the force of my fists. this was a ritual I had developed as far back as I could remember. It's something I can do to go out of my mind for a while, just relax for an hour, say fuck off to the world. It's a corner in my vast bedroom where I think I am myself. I braced myself as it swung back, punching out with a curled fist wound tightly with a bandage around the lower half of my fingers, around my palm and tied at my wrists.

My stereo flicked on with the inset alarm. Angry rock music thudded into my room, the lyrics mixed digitally and the band shouting into the mike. One of the few songs that I can relate to.

_"…Get up! Get up! get up!_

_drop the bombshell!_

_Get up! get up! _

_this is out of control!_

_Get up! get up! get up!_

_drop the bombshell!_

_Get up! get up! _

_Get gone… "_

Thankfully, my room is on the other side of the house, far from grandfather's ears. He used to just barge into my room, unplug the stereo and walk back out, slamming the door behind him, but after I kept plugging it back in as soon as he left, he decided to move to the other side of the house, where no sounds from this corner would reach him. _one of his better decisions, _I thought as my fist made contact with the red leather.

Her POV

Call it depression. Call it Gothicism. Either way, I'm in a really, really ticked off mood. It's Monday morning, and as usual, everyone else in the house is as perky as can be. Could someone please explain to me how they get so cheerful in the morning? Packing my bag this morning, I realised two things that were going to drag down any idea of hope this Monday :my math homework isn't completed and there's definitely a test date for this week lurking around in my diary, I know it. I know that I sound so theatrical sometimes, but that's how I am so early in the morning: everything to the extreme. Or it could be because of the type of company I keep at school. Or it could be because of the events that happened in Friday.

As I got out of my fathers land rover, I consider it a good and cursed thing that my parentals have to be at work by seven-fifteen. That whole waking up early does wonders for me, though, because we usually leave at seven, and when I get to school, it's practically empty, except for the teachers and some unfortunate bus people. I made my way to The Factory.

_As usual,_ I groaned good-naturally. The only people there so far were Rei, Tessa and Louise. Louise was busy reading Rei's fortune with her tattered deck of playing cards, and Tessa was practising chords on her electric guitar, the soft plucking echoing around The Factory's small park-like eating area. They were a strange trio, but they were my trio. The rest wouldn't start arriving until half-past, and they would sort themselves out into the most recent topic of discussion. Now, the thing is, most people in the school think that we're just weird, but we consider ourselves normal. When we get together, we talk over things that don't mess around with other people's lives; that is, we don't gossip. If there is an issue that concerns someone close to us, we usually talk about them in ways to help them out. Rei looked up at me then, his shining black hair tousled even though it was tied up.

"your train derailed again?" he asked me, immediately hitting on the fact that I had been spacing out. I felt the red flash out in my cheeks.

"not funny. And yes." I said back to him. "I see your hair took another route again," I replied, teasing him back, sticking to the transport mode of our words that morning. The tease just slid off his back like it was a sheet of paper, and he shrugged.

"it's in the genes. can't do nothing about it." he shrugged again. Louise looked up and frowned at me.

"Chikorita, you're distracting me… again! When are you going to learn to never entangle yourself in my thoughts when I'm reading!" she fumed out loud. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Louise, it's not as if Rei is going to believe you. and besides, you're doing it wrong again. You're not supposed to flip the cards from the top to the bottom ; you're supposed to flip it from left to right, remember?" Louise glared at me, her heavily-lined eyes staring daggers into mine, then looked back down to the cards. I could see her thoughts back-tracking.

"aw shit! Not again!" Rei glanced up at me and winked. I giggled behind my hands. There was a loud twang to the right of me and I winced at the poor use of the instrument to attract my attention. Rei went back to his thoughts and Louise carried on packing right her cards and trying again. I followed the direction of noise and sat down next to Tessa who continued strumming. Without looking at me, continuing her soft stroking of the strings, she began to talk.

"what's wrong?" she asked. I sighed at her straight-forwardness. I absently fiddled with my ring.

"nothing." There was a loud twang again.

"don't bullshit me, Becky, I know something's up," she said woodenly, her irritation revealed by the harsh plucks at the strings. I reached out a hand and placed it on the strings, silencing the cruel treatment it was getting from her emotions.

"fine, I'll tell you but would you stop abusing the instrument?" she stopped playing and looked up at me, grinning a small, knowing grin.

"I knew that would get your attention." She stopped playing it ,folding her arms along the standing sides of the guitar. I then explained what had happened the previous Friday. She looked thoughtful, straddling the guitar again and strumming.

"and I don't know what happened to him, and I was just...so angry…" Tessa looked at me, her blue eyes questioning.

"Becky, he saw something he had never seen before. Trust me on this." Tessa's short fringe of avocado-coloured hair fell into her eyes. With a shake of her head, she got it to hold and began plucking a short rhythm absently; she started to focus on the music, leaving me behind in confusion.

"babes, sing for me. you know you know the lyrics." She cut me off as I tried to object. Blushing at the compliment she had given me hidden under the layer of her words, and sighing as I knew I wouldn't get any further explanation, I answered her.

"not today, Tessa. Please." Her concentration broke from her hands and she gazed at me, her meditteranean -clear eyes staring me down. I looked at my hands. I began softly, getting lost in the words, thanking the fates that there was no-one else but her, Louise, Rei and I at school.

"_I wanted you to know_

_that I loved the way you laugh_

_I wanna hold you high_

_And steal you pain away_

_I keep your photograph_

_And I know it serves me well_

_I wanna hold you high_

_And steal your pain away…_"

His POV

And yet another day begins. The bell had just rung as I rode into school. The confusion in the crowd milled around as me as I strode in. I ignored the babble as I headed for Homeroom. I wasn't bothered about being late, the teachers around here were too frightened too mess with me because of Grandfather. That suited me just fine that moment because I was in no mood to be reprimanded.

I made my way to my seat at the back, the group acknowledging me with a wave of their hand or a single pronunciation of my last name. Most of them went back to their previous endeavours, except for one. His flyaway red hair combined with the vamp-collar of his school shirt, the old-school silver skull-and-crossbones necklace and piercing blue eyes made him the leader of our group. Calculating, cold, he is the typical villain you don't want to cross swords with. He made his way over to my desk .with a look to the guy sitting in the desk before me, he sat down as the other rushed off in fright. Draping an arm over the back of the seat, he stared at me in silence.

"what were you doing at your target's house on Friday?" he asked, straight to the point. I stared blankly through the window outside. I didn't want to answer, but with Tala, there was no wanting not to.

"I was forced there." The only response to this was a raised eyebrow.

"really? Under what circumstances?" he examined his fingernails and brushed them on his blazer, waiting for my answer. _Fuck off, just fuck off!!_ I screamed in my head.

"Grandfather feels I'm in need of a tutor," I answered stonily. Again his eyebrow went up in surprise. If no-one knew him as well as I did, they would have thought he didn't care. I adjusted a wristband, tracing along the thin silver ridges embedded in the black leather.

"you do realise that the others feel as if you're not fulfilling your assignment? Quite a cluster of dissenters that I have in my charge." The last he said under his breath. I looked at him, his profile lit starkly by the fluorescent light. _sometimes, Tala, I wonder who you are under that façade._ He turned to me, catching my staring eyes.

"you do know that you can't let this opportunity be wasted?" I gritted my teeth and gave a brisk nod. His hawk-like eyes considered me for a moment before he returned to his own seat.I felt the pressure in my skull and knew this was going to be another long day. That's when I heard Mariah's high-pitched voice rise above the rest.

"can you believe that Kristine girl? She was at it again with those weirdo friends of hers this morning, singing like she had a voice! Puh-lease, anyone knows she's a nobody, she's got no talent," she said with satisfaction. She had hated Becky ever since middle school and her hatred had just deepened this year for some reason. Out of nowhere, a short Goth-like girl with natural pitch-black hair braided into two plaits waltzed into the back of our group . She stared at Mariah as if she were a squashed beetle on the heel of her shoe.

"shut the fuck up, Mariah. Everyone knows that she's got more talent in one hair strand than you've got in your entire body. just leave her alone!" Mariah stared coolly up at her, her anger betrayed by the constricting of her pupils.

"and now's she got her cronies standing up for her. How sweet. How…quaint." she said evenly. There was silence in the classroom as the rest of the teens watched the confrontation. Suddenly a hand appeared on the girl's shoulder, one finger clad with a claw-ring, tugging at her.

"Louise, back off," a male voice ordered her from behind. She turned to him and showed that person as… Rei. She looked at him in silent rage but kept quiet, shoving past him. he turned to follow but caught eyes with me for just an instant. His disappointment with me was clearly evident in his golden irises before he turned back to follow her to the front of the class. There was a loud burst of voices around Mariah, all talking about the stupidity of those two and the rest like them. I crossed my arms on the desk and rested my aching forehead on top of them. I didn't want to be reminded again. _Never fucking again…_

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**To be continued…**

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Songs used: Bombshell – Powerman 5000

Broken – Seether ft. Amy Lee

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PerennialOutlander: what do you think? This chapter is the longest so far and I've very proud of it! you also notice the tension developing… I hope that you have taken pleasure in reading this and so on. Please review, it doesn't take that long…

Rei: yeah guys, please? She's worked really hard on this one. gives kawaii chibi eyes I I

PerennialOutlander: how can you resist that??

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Last Comment

I'd just like people to know that the use of numerous songs in this story does not mean that it is a song fic. I use these particular songs to give you, the reader, clues into what these people feel like at that particular moment, and to also give clues as to where the story is going.

* * *

GB


	5. Finding the Pentimento

Witch-Bitch

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Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah , Becky, Louise and Tessa (the last 3 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari, at fiercekai()cjb()net (pretend that the brackets are dots), for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

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**Concise Oxford Dictionary Ninth Edition – Pentimento : the phenomenon of earlier painting showing through a layer or layers of paint on a canvas.**

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Chapter 5 : Finding the Pentimento

Her POV

"Mom, you're going to be late! Hurry up!" I yelled from the garage. I waited a minute; when she didn't appear, I groaned under my breath and ran into the house, feeling the sweat pop up between my shoulder blades despite the approaching rain clouds and the definite chill in the air. I wrenched open the door and there stood my mother, still in her pyjamas and looking even worse than a sick dog.

"honey, I can't take you, I can barely even see. I can't get dad on his mobile. Can't you phone one of your friends to pick you up?" she asked in a raw voice. I groaned inwardly. _Why now?_ I smiled at her in reassurance.

"sure, I'll try and see if I can get Rei." I walked over and gave her a quick hug. "you go back to bed, I'll wait outside for him." she grinned sickly at me then went off to her bedroom. I swung my backpack onto my shoulder again and closed the door behind me, locking it for her. I pulled my mobile from my pants' pocket and dialled Rei. It rang and rang and rang… angrily I hung up and sifted through my phone-book for anyone else who could try and pick me up. I growled at the worthless names that popped up. Tessa got a ride from her brother and Louise walked to school. Other than that, I was out of options. I felt a droplet of water land on my head and looked up. My glasses were soon speckled with light raindrops. I glared at the grey sky, then made for cover under the sparse garage-door frame. I wrapped myself more tightly in my blazer and sweater, trying to make myself as small as possible. I reached into my pocket and tried Rei on his cell again. There was still no answer. That's when I heard a loud honk from the street in front of me. I looked up and saw a low-slung, black sports car that had driven and parked partway on my driveway. I couldn't see who it was through the tinted windows but then the driver's window slid down and Kai's emotionless face craned awkwardly out of it to peer at me.

"get in," he ordered me before sliding back into his seat. I sucked in breath at his rudeness while I hurried to the passenger's side. I slammed it behind me unintentionally, wincing at the ferocity of the noise. Kai either ignored it or didn't notice it as he reversed back into the road. I buckled myself in and then sat there in uncomfortable silence._ Now what?_

__

His POV

"is there any particular reason as to why you're giving me a lift instead of letting me get soaking wet and be tardy for homeroom?" she asked me, in a voice that was treading the thin line between cutting and sardonic. I winced inside at her tone, my eyes never leaving the road ahead of me. for some reason, I couldn't block out my emotional reactions to her. It was something that worried me, but I pushed it aside because it was something little, needing no attention.

"it won't help me if my English tutor isn't at school," I replied. A small "oh" escaped her lips and then she went silent, the rain the only sound in the car. We reached a four-way traffic-light stop and sat idling. out of the corner of my eye I could see her patting her tangled wet hair and then, sighing, she pulled her bag onto her lap and dug out a brush. She pulled her barrette out of the knot at the back of her head, letting her thick mass of long hair glide down across her shoulders. My heart began beating wildly, thumping against my rib-cage, so loud in my ears that I didn't notice at first the hooting behind me. she twisted her head to look at me while still brushing.

"Kai, the light's green," she stated, a crinkle of concentration between her eyes. I snapped back to some sort of reality and grinded the gears as I sped off. I caught her look of annoyance before I glued my eyes again to the tar. The silence was becoming unbearable, there was an electricity in the Porsche that seemed to be only affecting me. my hand shook as I turned on the CD player, the machine instantly clicking in the classic remix CD I had made two weeks ago. 'Phantom of the Opera' began playing and I felt myself sliding into the world where that song just existed. I wasn't thinking as I pressed play, I just needed something familiar to listen to.

I tried to keep quiet about liking classical music at school: they wouldn't understand, they would only mock me, think that I was a fucking nerd. They would only classify me as one of _them_ and I would be thrown out, alone, the history that I had with them non-existent from that point. When I was younger, when my parents were still alive, they would listen all the time to classical music: mother would bring home new CDs every week, either from the store, or the compositions that her students had worked on. It reminded me of them. My throat began to tighten and I choked it off before it could go any further, before I could dredge up more memories...

_"…And do I dream again_

_For now I find_

_The Phantom of the Opera_

_Is there_

_Inside my mind…"_

I caught Becky sneak a glance at me, her eyes wide with curiosity, but thankfully she kept quiet, instead leaning back into the seat and closing her eyes, mouthing the words. I felt relief of an intensity that shouldn't have been that strong at all. _God damnit, what's wrong with me?_ I had to stop at another red light and this time I couldn't stop my eyes from being drawn to her. She hadn't tied her hair up, just left it down, presumably to dry. It draped across her shoulders, reaching just below where her collarbones would be; it was straight until the natural kink at the nape of her neck where it began to be wavy, flaring out at the tips. In the stark light of the car's interior, it still shone brightly, unable to look ugly. The colour of her hair was like a translucent scarlet-amber, sometimes the vivid honey-red like the stone and sometimes a tarnished bronze. The operetta track ended and her eyes opened lazily, slightly fuzzy with the darkness behind her lids. I hurriedly looked away, putting my attention back onto the road. For some unexplainable reason, I felt stupidly happy.

Her POV

He was looking at me again. I didn't have to see his eyes focussing on me to know that they were. They were like insistent little nibs trailing my spine. I had thought that his lift would have ended in a practical joke, or some sort of bullying from which I would burst out of the car in tears, but instead the entire ride had been silent and awkward up until he suddenly turned on the sound system and 'Phantom of the Opera' had started playing, the exact song that I had recently downloaded off the web.

That was probably the strangest thing to happen to me in my short life, but I couldn't be sure that his short peeks at me weren't that either. And especially when I had closed my eyes, I don't know why I had to do that, that was something that I didn't do in front of others and here I had done it in front of the guy that had been bullying me from my eighth year; there, his gaze settled on me and it felt like I was undergoing a surgeon's scrutiny: nagging, analytical, naked, but then I became lost in the emotions of the music and it lost its hold on me.

I snapped out of my thoughts as Kai began to slow down at the corner just around the school building. I sighed, knowing he would want me out before his mob saw us. I picked up my bag, settling it on my lap, waiting. he didn't slow down. He drove right round to the covered student parking-lot, right through the gates, and parked in his marked lot. He shut off the ignition and just sat there, suddenly looking… I don't know, vulnerable, maybe. I cleared my abruptly dry throat.

"thanks. You do know that - if you want - you can drop me off at the corner so you won't get into trouble with your friends," I said , knowing that what he had did would probably now be talked about for weeks. He said nothing, just opened the door and climbed out, dragging behind a tattered leather satchel that he pulled from the back seat. I scrambled out after him, clumsily dropping my barrette and watching it roll outside my reach. _Shit_. I knelt down and reached to pick it up but Kai's hand was already there, holding it in one hand and offering his other to help me up. I looked at it in shock, and he, impatient, grabbed my hand and hauled me up. He looked down at me, only half a head taller than my 1.7 metre tall frame. He gently shoved the hair-slide into the opened pocket of my bad, zipping it closed.

"don't put your hair up. You look better without it," he said softly, then suddenly turned and walked into the school. I stared after him, completely overthrown. _What just happened?_

__

His POV

_What the fuck?!_ my head screamed out as I walked away from Becky. My head and body were confused, signals running haphazardly across my nerves. My fingers burned where they had gripped Becky's, my heart still thudded; it felt like I had been shocked. One part of my mind was all giddy and the other was shouting at me to regain my senses. I bowed my head and shook it feebly as I continued walking, trying to shake it from the chaos.

Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed me roughly by my blazer and slammed me against the wall. I exhaled involuntarily, sparks of pain shooting up my spine. They shoved me hard against the wall, pushing me up the brick-face. I raised my head and I met the glimmering golden rage of Rei's eyes. his pupils were dilated and his knuckles were white where he gripped my blazer. He slammed me against the wall again.

"if you ever hurt her, I'll make sure that the Fates smile kindly at what I plan on doing to you!" he snarled. He then let go of me and I slid the few inches down the wall until my feet landed on the floor. He unclenched his fists, his expression softening. "we were friends once, Kai. I don't want to hurt you, but if you hurt Becky, you'll regret that we aren't anymore." He turned and walked off, his long braid swinging behind him. I bent over, gripping my knees, trying to catch my breath. I never imagined that he was that strong; that he could lift me was a testament to the time that we had lost since that day.

I straightened shakily, pulling the strap of my bag over my shoulder. I started walking again in the direction of the group's hang-out before I suddenly remembered: it was Friday and I had a tutoring session with Becky that afternoon. I groaned loudly. Things couldn't get worse…

**To be continued…**

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Songs used : 'Phantom of the Opera Techno Remix' – ERA

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PerennialOutlander: I really don't want to end it there, but if I tried to continue, I know that the chapter would turn into a story by itself. It does feel very incomplete, doesn't it? sigh…

Rei: ((hugs PerennialOutlander)) she's feeling down, guys. Review please! Or else this story is going into the cast-offs' box…

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Last Comment

I'd just like people to know that the use of numerous songs in this story does not mean that it is a song fic. I use these particular songs to give you, the reader, clues into what these people feel like at that particular moment, and to also give clues as to where the story is going.

* * *

GB


	6. Owning Up

Witch-Bitch

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah, Becky, Louise, Tessa and Ricky (the last 4 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari, at fiercekai()cjb()net (pretend that the brackets are dots), for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

Chapter 6: Owning Up

Her POV

Homeroom was a bore as usual. The diminutive Mrs Gideon was seated behind her desk and taking register quietly, ticking off the heads that she could see. In this small space of time I would usually be checking my homework or at least catching up on my reading. The rest of the gang would be doing somewhat the same: Rei would be checking Louise's math homework while she checked his history notes, and Tessa would be listening to her walkman. Today was a little different: Rei was on edge, his claw-ring tapping on the desk surface; Louise was hurrying her English poetry work that we had had a week to finish; and Tessa was busy staring out of the window. I was busy lying on my arms, staring at them from a horizontal point of view. Even I was out of it, and I didn't particularly want to acknowledge why.

"Attention please, class. I'd like to introduce a new transfer student, all the way from New Zealand. Ricky, would you please come in?" my homeroom teacher asked to the open door. My head snapped up from my folded arms._ He's here, now!_ My thoughts shrieked out at me. And then he walked in, his stride long and relaxed, taking his time just like I remembered.

Even though it was only his first day, he had already taken measures to make the uniform his own. The white school shirt was un-tucked and unbuttoned over a white sweatshirt, and its sleeves were rolled right up to his shoulders. He had a leather string tied round his neck, the knot showing at the base of his neck. His spiky sun-bleached black hair stood up, complimenting the darker colour of his natural tan. His blue eyes sparkled with the depth of the ocean that he loved to challenge. He walked to Mrs Gideon's desk and stood there with one arm behind his back, eying the class, waiting patiently for her to finish his introductions. I felt a slight shiver go up my spine: the only other empty desks were the one to my right and the one way in the back with Kai and his gang.

"Go ahead Ricky," she said to him. He cleared his throat, his one hand reaching to brush at his hair.

"As you heard, my name's Ricky. The full name's Ricky Ozanne. My family used to live here about three years ago but then my dad got transferred. We got transferred back this year." He cleared his throat again and Mrs Gideon nodded.

"Take a seat, young man. The bell will be going soon but you can socialize and get used to the new faces in the last minutes." Ricky visibly relaxed when she said this, but he was still tense at the silence permeating the room. His eyes caught mine and a smile spread over his entire face. While strolling to my desk, the hand that had been behind his back withdrew from hiding and revealed, held gently entwined in his fingers, a white chrysanthemum. He reached my desk and looked down at me, holding the flower out to me. I unfolded myself from the confines of the desk and hugged him tightly; he bear-hugged me back, lifting me up from the floor. He put me back down but I still held fast onto him. He bent his ear to my lips.

"You do realise that you've screwed yourself for the rest of the year by doing that?" I whispered. He chuckled softly. "Yeah, I do. And it feels good," he whispered back.

"Becky," Mrs Gideon called. Startled out of our embrace, I jumped back, hitting the back of my legs into the desk edge. Snickers from the back of the class reached my ears and I felt myself turning red. "Becky," she repeated, "since you and this young man seem to know each-other; I will assign you to be his escort for today and next week. Now please take your seats," she said to the background noise of cat-calls and whistles from the class. _Why did she have to use THAT word?_ I groaned to myself as Ricky and I sat down. He handed me the flower and I took it tenderly. I held it for a second before I realised that Louise was staring at me pointedly out of the corner of my eye. I felt my cheeks burn.

"Guys, this is Ricky, an old friend from eighth grade. Ricky, the Goth in the corner is Louise; the spaced-out one on my left is Tessa; and the guy behind me is Rei," I stated as I pointed to each. Louise grinned darkly; Tessa gave a short wave; Rei held out his hand in greeting. Ricky shook it energetically.

"So you're the bunch that's taken over Becky since I've been gone?" he asked. Tessa snorted.

"Without us, Becky would have been a gon-," Louise tried to answer but Rei shoved her hard in the ribs with his elbow. Ricky's one eyebrow crooked up quizzically. It was then that the bell went and my classmates swarmed as one out of the door.

His POV

My hands clenched into fists as I watched the two of them walk of the classroom, protected like a pack by the other three. It didn't look right, the way they were acting. I pulled myself from my angered thoughts and walked out behind them, left alone by the rest of the group. I trailed after them a safe distance: I had English first period so I could be as late as I wanted to be. I had to watch those two; part of the job was to make sure she was never happy. But I didn't want to do it anymore. I pushed against the middle of my brow with the heel of my palm, trying to stifle the headache that was beginning to pound in my skull. _God, won't this confusion just stop?_ I thought tiredly. I adjusted the strap of my satchel as it dug into my shoulder, trying to distract myself from the gnawing feeling in my chest.

_Don't they look cosy?_ A little voice in my head said snidely. _Shut the fuck up!_ I screamed back. My eyes closed of their own violation. _Breathe, you need to breathe,_ a soft, gentle feminine voice whispered. My eyes snapped open, shock filling my system. I looked around me, my head snapping back and forth. My lips trembled.

"Mom?" I whispered, my voice cracking as I said that single syllable. There was nothing but empty air filled with the noise of the student body. I choked back what I thought was emotion, straightening up._ It's just stress, nothing else; it wasn't mom._ I looked around to see if Becky had disappeared yet, saw that I had lost her. I couldn't help but be relieved. There was nothing I wanted more to do than not be in the damn school anymore. And as I made my way to my car, that's what I did. No one was around as I revved the engine of the Porsche and raced out of the school parking lot.

I thought where I could go. I had my usual things in the boot: my board, my clothes… I spun the wheel, screeching to the right, causing havoc as brakes applied to tar, hands to car hooters. I raced to the mansion, sending up thanks that grandfather was on business out of town. It was just my luck that the servants were off too. I grabbed my things out of the backseat and boot and burst into the house, running to my room where I dumped everything on the floor. I ripped off my clothes, searching and finding my bike leathers, pulling them on. I grabbed a smaller backpack and my helmet as I ran back downstairs, through the house into the garage. Any thoughts running through my head at that time were just a jumble, racing along with the energy coursing through my body. I waited for the doors to open before gunning the engine, revving the gas, feeling the pressure build in the metal body. _Out of this hellhole._

Nothing registered as I rode to the deserted stretch of road leading off from the main road. This led to the makeshift bikeyard that past generations had built from abandoned vehicles and old engineering parts, covered with cement and dirt. No one lived anywhere near here, and the town ignored it. I brought myself to a standstill, just sensing the engine purring underneath me, looking over the track. There were no easy hills or obstacles. It was designed for the extremist: that's why it had been named 'The Devil's Sandbox'. My hands clenched the handlebars, the leather grinding against my palm. I let go.

Her POV

_Where's Kai? _I looked around my fifth period gym class, searching for his familiar build. He had been missing since homeroom, and I was worried about him. I stopped myself short. _Worried? Worried! _And I couldn't deny it. Yes, I was worried. Ever since this morning, ever since that Friday, he's been on my mind. I feel nervous, disquiet in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't really understand it, but maybe I was beginning, a little too late, to see the real Kai.

"Miss Kristine, do you want to be benched or do you want a failing grade?" the gym teacher barked. I jumped in fright at the intrusion into my thoughts. Louise was waving her arms frantically behind him, hopping up and down for a turn. I rolled my eyes, but replied that my time was up. I walked over to the bench as Louise rushed past me, her small frame energized: I could feel the prickling of excitement bouncing off of her as Ricky tossed her the basketball. I sat on the empty bench, the seat still warm from Louise's small body. I felt dizzy, leaning forward to place my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, my hair falling out of my ponytail and shrouding my drained face. I felt a soft thump beside me through the wooden bench. Rei exhaled loudly, then leant forward too, elbows on knees, hands clasped in front of him. I felt him looking down at me, his eyes drilling into my skull, or was that my headache?

"You don't want to talk about it?" he asked softly. I peered at him from behind my hair and eyes. His eyes were full of concern, nothing more, and nothing less than everything else that he had done for me in the past. I turned away, feeling my mouth open but no sound coming out. I felt my headache getting worse, pounding now solidly between my eyes.

"I saw you this morning. Is it just me, or is there something more going on?" my eyes opened wide with shock; thankfully he couldn't see them. "Kai isn't being his usual self. Becky, you know you want to talk to me, so why don't you?" he asked me gently. The final bell sounded, reverberating through the walls and my head, jolting me into sudden action. My gym teacher whistled our leave and I made to rush off to the showers but Rei grabbed my arm before I could even get farther than the bench. He squeezed, not unkindly. Louise, Tessa and Ricky passed by us, Louise pushing a stuttering Ricky away from me. The noise died out and entered into the hallways, leaving us in an echoing chamber of quiet.

"I'm taking you home. Meet me out here in fifteen minutes, okay?" with that, he left towards the boys' locker room. I shuffled towards the showers, somehow managing it quickly, without the stares of the other girls rushing out to dates and freedom. In a space of sixty seconds, I was the only one left. I stripped, thanking silently my luck. Leaving only my watch, I stepped in and the hot water drenched my skin and hair. I stood there letting it prickle my skin. My eyes were closed as my confusion bubbled up inside my head, my hands.

_Whose eyes am I behind?_

_I don't recognise anything that I see_

_Whose skin is this design?_

_I don't want this to be the way that you see me_

My fists hit the tiles with a solid pain, throbbing in my muscles, shooting up to my shoulders and rushing down to tingle into my fingers. My breathes came out ragged and loud at the sudden adrenaline, the white tiles before me shaded in red. I closed my eyes again and soaped off, hurriedly getting out and drying off. I pulled on my clothes, buckling my belt and buttoning my white shirt. As I pulled down the long sleeves, my eyes caught on my inner arms, the crook of my elbow. The light glittered off the pales lines threading horizontally in the vulnerable flesh. My headache turned into a full migraine as my eyes abruptly filled with tears. My legs turned rubbery, and then failed, crashing me to the floor. I curled up into a ball, sobbing silently into my arms, the bench hard against the small of my back. I just cried, each wave of turmoil just refreshing the supply of liquid salt. I was completely oblivious to the outside until someone pulled me into their arms, holding me tightly as I cried into their chest, my head under their chin. I felt Rei's braid tickle the back of my neck as he rubbed my back. I couldn't stop crying…

His POV

I kept trying to phone Becky on her mobile but all I could get was an irritating recorded message. My temper flared up as I shoved it back into my jacket. I don't know what was going on with that bitch, but if she wouldn't let me at least leave a message, I wasn't even going to bother. I glared at nothing as dark clouds began to gather above me. Nobody had bothered to come the Devil's Sandbox, forecasts had been blaring over any radio that we were in for a killer thunderstorm this weekend. I couldn't give a fuck less. Leaning on the handlebars, I stared up at the sky. I felt the brief lull end as the first drops splattered across my cheeks. I shut my eyes tightly then pulled on my helmet. The engine started and I rode out of the abandoned compound into the gloomy afternoon. I drove slowly along the quiet streets, my mind going over today. My picking up Becky, the barrette, Rei's promise, Ricky's entrance… my teeth grind angrily at that one.

I find myself back at the mansion. I stared at the garage door, oblivious to the rain sliding down the front of my helmet, then got off, flicking the card through the security slot on my right. I wheeled the bike through the opening garage door, pushing the button for it to begin closing. The darkness swallowed me physically as I parked my bike in its corner, but my mind already felt suffocated with it. _What the hell's gone wrong with me?_ I thought as I walked to my room. I pulled my jacket off and dumped it on top of the stuff I had shaken off earlier. I dropped onto my bed, suddenly tired. The red light of my answering machine was blinking irritatingly at me and I almost slammed my fist on top of the 'play' button before I gained control again. It had two messages. The first was from grandfather.

"I have been called out to an international conference in Moscow for the next two months. Due to your decline in your academic performance, you will not remain at the mansion for the duration of my absence. I have arranged with an associate of mine for you to stay with him and his family for that time. Expenses have been arranged. He expects you tonight, so he will fetch you at seven. Henry Kristine broaches no nonsense, Kai. I expect your actions to reflect well on me." With that last curt remark, the message ended. Without even giving my mind time to de-numb, the second message began playing. An unfamiliar female voice began speaking. Only one sentence was said.

"You've done it again."

**To be continued…**

* * *

Song Used: 'Ordinary' – Train

* * *

PerennialOutlander: you ever noticed that when you really need to do something, you find yourself sparking about other things? It's a sad, sad habit. Rei would agree with me, but he's kinda snoozing on my bed. Talk about a 'motivator'!

Rei: zzzzzz…

PerennialOutlander: so, it seems I am out of my self-imposed break. I hope you like the fact that there has been a mini-climax: you're probably thinking, "It's finally going somewhere!" Yeah… you know, we all hope that…

Rei: zzzzzz…must have cookies…zzzzzz…

* * *

Last Comment

I'd just like people to know that the use of numerous songs in this story does not mean that it is a song fic. I use these particular songs to give you, the reader, clues into what these people feel like at that particular moment, and to also give clues as to where the story is going.

GB


	7. The Inevitable

Witch-Bitch

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah, Becky, Louise, Tessa and Ricky (the last 4 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

Acknowledgements: I thank the following for their help, even though they may never come across this: Fierce-A Shrine to Kai Hiwatari, at fiercekai()cjb()net (pretend that the brackets are dots), for helping me with the odds & ends of Kai; Spirit, for giving me these gifts & allowing me to share them.

* * *

Chapter 7: The Inevitable

* * *

His POV

Mr Kristine had finally left me alone to unpack. My two duffel bags were lying unopened in front of the closet, a shimmering black in the lamp's light switched on above the bed. Standing in the middle of the room, I slowly circled round my new room. It didn't amount too much: it was smaller than mine, and crowded, and everything looked from second-hand onwards. It did feel… welcoming, though. Not something I'm used to. The single bed was placed tight against the right wall, right under a window that had a lean-to sill stretching out. A space big enough for a single body separated the bed from a wall-to-wall book shelf, which contained mixtures of yellowed and pristine-white paged, new and old, thick and thin books. An identical space separated a desk from the shelves, on the left next to the room door. Opposite the room door, in the left corner from the bed, was a bulky wardrobe, emptied out for me. And between the wardrobe and my bed was a door which led to the bathroom, which then led to Becky's room. _Connected. Linked._ Able to walk from either room to the other, unless the doors were locked.

Curiosity got the better of me. Before I had even a thought of denial, I found myself walking through the bathroom, pushing the door open gently, peering into a darkened room that was only lit by the shimmering pale moonlight shining in the rain through a circular pane of glass. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, they picked out the shadows of objects that didn't make any sense to my mind. I fumbled along the wall, finally finding the switch and flipping the lights on. I blinked at the sudden light, and at the contents of Becky's room.

The closed door on my left led my eyes straight to a bulky desk: it was large enough to hold her PC and all its components; a working space big enough for scattered A2 pieces of paper; a thin lamp; and a small shelf which housed papers and CDs and other unidentifiable things. I walked up to her desk and peered down at the sketches, my hands moving them aside to see better in the light. Most of them were black ink line drawings, abstract forms and shapes; one actually looked like a man with wings kneeling over an edge of a building. I shook my head but the image didn't disappear. Another one looked like an incomplete graphic-novel cover, and another was a partial nude of a young male. I shuffled them back into order and looked into the shelves next. The CDs were labelled 'Music Video's' some or other number, 'Fruits Basket' and other strange titles. The papers were actually books thick with cut-out pictures from magazines, labelled 'models', 'outfits' and 'landscapes'. I straightened from investigating the desk, glancing over at her bed. The bedcover was a dark blue, and on top of her pillows were a few stuffed animals. Next to her bed was a small cabinet overloaded on the top with books, and above it was a small wall lamp. In the corner next to the bathroom door was an oversized wardrobe built into the wall that ran to above the bathroom door, ending before the bedroom door. I turned round the room again and then spotted the beanbag and diminutive table under the window, identical to mine. The table was almost bare except for a silver candelabrum for seven candles occupying the wooden surface. Black candles, recently put in, contrasted with the white wax that had dribbled down the sides.

The mental picture I started having of Becky wasn't of someone I could hate. I went back to her drawings, pulled out the desk chair and sat down. I pulled out the one that had freaked me out earlier. I traced along the pen lines, feeling the indentations of where she had pressed down brutally, bruising the paper. I imagined the feelings unburdened in the paper: hatred, anger, pain… all because of me…

* * *

Her POV

I was shocked. I couldn't believe that they had done that. I couldn't_ fucking _believe that Kai was now over at my house, unpacking his clothes into the study connected to my bedroom. As my mom had hung up and I had stayed in the same position, my face fixed into a shocked expression, Rei had looked at me worriedly. His golden eyes had searched my face for an answer; I had swallowed, flipped the phone closed, and said in a cracked tone: "Kai's staying at my house for the next two months." The phone slid from my grasp and dropped to the floor, but I had already locked myself into Rei's bathroom by the time it had landed on the floor, spinning.

I was unofficially staying at his house for the night: I hadn't even gone home. Tessa and Louise had gone to my house and grabbed my emergency pack out of my closet, the one reason Mom had phoned me. They had arrived as I was still talking to her. They had scattered round Rei's room, on top of sleeping bags and mattresses that Rei had hauled out for us, waiting for me to finish. But then I had run in here.

Outside, a light rain had begun to fall. Rei had refused to let me go home in that state; I was grateful. I wasn't being myself, and he knew me too well. It was Tessa, uncharacteristically vocal lately, who I heard through the door interrogating Rei.

"What happened? Why are we having a disaster session?" she asked gruffly. I heard someone shuffling about, heard Louise crack her knuckles, the gathering forces of the storm outside. I heard Rei sigh loudly.

"Don't tell me she lost it again?" she stated in disbelief. Louise spoke up in defence of the absent me.

"Tessa! It's not like she wants it to happen! God, can you be any more insensitive?" I heard Tessa snort. "What's crawled up your ass?" she asked gruffly. I could vividly see Louise sticking her tongue out at her. Before I knew it, I unlocked the door and said to them, "stop it, you two. If you don't want to be here, get out. I didn't ask for this persona, to be stupidly fragile."

Yes, there were things in my head, but I know I'm too weak to be able to control them. I crave the feel and weight of a blade, even now, four years from when I happened. I'm a weak and pitiful person who doesn't have the strength to control herself. I stare at my sleeve, where the scars are hiding. My lifeline sits in there, silent. I know what I'm thinking is perplexing, making no sense.

"I'm sorry that all of you had to get involved. For once, I'm going to sort this shit out for myself. Rei, please: take me home," I said quietly, my eyes downcast as I grabbed my bag and walked out of his room before they could protest. I had only just seated myself on the porch steps when Louise came and sat beside me. She wrapped one arm around me and squeezed tightly.

"You know not to listen to her, right?" she asked me. I nodded minutely. She smiled sadly and let me go as Rei exited the house and I followed.

* * *

His POV

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" my head snapped up at her voice. I had put myself into a trance staring at her sketches, cutting myself off from the possibility that she might return. A look of pure venom was splashed across her face, her cheeks faintly pink, her eyes flashing. I shot from the desk-chair, hitting my knee hard against the desk. Damn hard. I winced, hissing at the pain. She continued to look down at me, her face blank of my throbbing kneecap.

"Becky, I-"

"Get the fuck out of my room, Kai. I don't care what you were doing, just fucking get out." She moved aside, clearing the way to the bathroom door. I opened my mouth to say something more but her eyes wouldn't let anything else in. I limped through the open doorway. She slammed it closed behind me.

* * *

Her POV

My fingers still stung. It was a good hurt, I thought, as I shook my hand absently. Supper had been pizza; I had snagged a couple of slices before retreating to my room, where I had immediately put on something loud and upped the volume on the headphones. I was busy eating with my left while I coloured in my colour version of 'Visionary'. His wings were irritating me so I dropped my pencil into the jar with the others and took another bite of semi-warm pizza. . My eyes could've drilled holes into the door, the way I stared at it. Kai was still downstairs, being interrogated by mom. _I'm glad he's suffering_.

I finished my last slice in my hand, sucking at my greasy fingers. I could've sworn I heard a voice on the other side of the bathroom. _Lovely: he managed to escape._ Contrary to my bitter tone, my hearing perked up to listen to the movement on the other side. I heard the screeching of the wardrobe hinges; he must have begun unpacking. _Wonder what he brought_. The other me's mouth opened wide in shock. Why would I care what he brought to my home? I purposefully dropped the pizza crust onto the plate, appetite suddenly gone. I think it was time for me to switch off for the night. I pushed back from 'Visionary', my eye catching on his wings. I swear they twitched.

* * *

His POV

I sighed in relief as Becky moved away from my current hiding place and began gathering her toiletries. Everything cramped when I hid myself in pictures, especially hers that were so complex in design and interpretation. I had one last glance of Becky before I rose out of her room and drifted back to my car. I snapped back to my corporeal body, wincing as I opened my eyes.

How can I explain to anyone what I was doing? What I was? _No_, I thought. It wasn't time to begin thinking of that other life that I would never have. I sighed loudly. I watched as the invisible particles escaped from my throat and whirled in front of me. I thought back to my birth, the words that my parents and bearer had said: human, not human; alive, not alive; individuality and purpose. My mentor told me of my position here on earth, in this particular time frame. My human parents were, are still fuzzy on the concept, but that's because they've forgotten everything in their re-embodiment.

I am Rei, a guardian angel of Union. My purpose in life is to see that my charges remain together, for the internal balance of Gaea. I have a divine soul but a human male corporeal form. I watch over them; through observing, I guide them to their united path. Unfortunately, because of the divine law, we cannot directly interfere: we can't force them together through enchantments, lies or threats. We can only guide them until their souls link to one-another, effectively binding them.

There are only a few thousand pairs of souls on Earth who we watch over, that keep the internal balance. It's strange still to think that we have to be a direct part of their lives, yet still be indirect. It has been fucking hard to keep my charges together… no, I'm lying here. They're not even together yet! Through teenage hormones and their own chain of command, they've been kept apart…again I sugar-coat the truth: these two are enemies, both victims and persecutors. They feed off each-other, hurt each-other and sustain each-other. Even they don't know the intricate nature of their relationship.

I dropped my head to the steering-wheel, ignoring the impact of my forehead against the leather. Kai: my best friend since kindergarten, until your mind was poisoned slowly from the age of eleven and you took that fatal step at the near-end of eighth grade; Becky, my ward from that moment Kai broke you. I felt the first tears drip down my face at the memory… _gods, the blood_…

"I'm not supposed to fall in love with you, Becky!" I screamed, hitting my hands against the steering-wheel, my head raised and staring upwards. "It's not allowed…" I whispered.

* * *

**To be continued…

* * *

**

PO: well…

Rei: I thought this was a reality fic! Now I'm an angel!

PO: erm…

Rei: and now you're adding more… PerennialOutlander, what do you have to say for yourself?

(Backstage door swings in the breeze)

Rei: PO?

(Looks around for the absent PO)

PO!


	8. The New Breakage

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah, Becky, Louise, Tessa and Ricky (the last 4 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

* * *

Note on Fonts:

**Bold- definitions, TBC, Text (Mobiles/Cell phones, Books, Signs, etc)**

**_Italic- present thoughts, dreams, emphasis, lyrics, memories_**

Underlined- chapter title, POV, etc

CAPITAL- AUTHOR EMPHASIS

* * *

Chapter 8: The New Breakage

His POV

_It was an eerie night. The rain had begun, just like it does at the beginning of every winter. I felt uneasy. I'm not that fond of rain, I hate the clammy feeling it inspires along my scalp. I looked around and frowned. The party just seemed to go on and on into the morning. I could see few that were not drunk or doped up. It was a sad thing to look at, watching them reduced to these things. I felt edgy, glancing at the couples making out, minorly or majorly. It reminded me that I couldn't have one of my own. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair._

_Personally, I hate these kinds of parties. It was a birthday party, the type organized as a surprise by deluded parents, the rich kind. They would set it up, have the kids there, and then disappear for the entire day and night and day that it took for the kids to run out of steam. But the problem wasn't the party itself: it was the invite list. The entire grade would come; the groups that detested, avoided or ignored each-other were forced by well-meaning parents to come, themselves deluded to the fact that elementary school relationships didn't last long in high school._

_I heard a breaking of glass and was broken from my thoughts. I raised my eyes and happened to see Rebecca Kristine hiding in a corner. She was pretty tonight, it looked like she had made an effort to be here. My charge wasn't that popular among the grade, she was a loner. Her parents must have forced her here as well, or… I looked around for Kai, my once-best friend, who's been turning into a real shithead bully lately. I had a nagging feeling in my gut that he had something to do with Rebecca being here. I prayed not. Rebecca was a vulnerable loner, too innocent. She was unprotected without her best friend Ricky, who had moved to New Zealand at the beginning of this year._

_She moved away from her spot. I lost track of her as she moved past the still-standing couples. I made to move away from my place against the wall but suddenly felt woozy. I stumbled, my feet switching sides momentarily, down the slope of the carpet. I looked up, tripped over a fallen body, saw a table rushing at…_

…_my cheek was burning against something fuzzy. I struggled up, my head woozy and my stomach protesting. It was early morning, more like twilight. A soft grey was coming through the windows, telling me that it was still raining. _How long was I out_? I asked myself as I rubbed my sore head. Fuck, I knew I shouldn't have had that Absinthe with… I snapped out of it, clearly hearing two people's distress calls in my head. One was numb, unfeeling. The other was in agony, waiting… I don't know when I got on my feet; I just followed the fear to its edge. A door was quarter-way open, I heard a keening behind it. I shoved my way through. Kai was on the floor, staring blankly at the wall, his mouth open, letting out a low whine._

"_Kai?" I called to him, kneeling down on the floor. I shook his shoulders, trying to get him out of the stupor. He looked through me. I looked behind me, at the place where he was staring. I felt a descending throbbing coming from inside. I suddenly smelt the copper in the air. I burst through the bathroom door and nearly slid into the wall on red-tainted water. I turned my head, and there was_

"_NO!" _

Her POV

"**g'morn!u willing 2 show me round?feel lil lost :p oz" **the SMS read as I blinked tiredly at it. I looked at my clock that was faintly glowing from the light outside and read 6AM. _Gods, he still gets up this early?_ I groaned, my head flopping back onto the pillow, cursing surfers in general. My fingers snaked out from under the duvet and hopefully pressed the 'play' button on my hi-fi's remote.

"…_changing_

_Everywhere I go_

_Out of what I know-"_

I quickly pressed the skip button. I was not in the mood for Avril this morning. I grabbed the phone off my desk, dialled a number I got off from a torn piece of paper, heard ringing…

"'ello?" I couldn't help it. I snorted trying to hold back a laugh.

"it's not fair to fall back asleep when you've woken someone," I said in an annoyed tone. There was a rustling of covers on the other side.

"sorry Becky. What's up, got my SMS?"

"yes, you dolthead. You remember where my house is?" I heard him chuckle.

"sure I do. Meet you at seven then?" I groaned, thumping my face into the pillow. He laughed again. "I'll add another half-hour then."

"fine, okay, just bring your skateboard. See you outside at half-seven." I said and then we both signed off. I sighed again. He never made things easy for us girls. I pulled myself out of bed, my socked feet touching the carpet. I had an idea, a really malicious one. A really FUN and malicious idea.

Just for my neighbour.

Good thing dad woke early and mom wore heavy-duty-machinery earplugs. I snickered.

His POV

"_Hey you, hey you_

_This won't hurt a bit…"_

…strumming suddenly began banging through the bathroom door, followed by a heavy electric bass accompaniment. I hate admitting it, but it shocked me so fucking badly out of sleep that, before I knew it, I was lying on the floor with all the sheets and blankets tangled on top of me. I stared up at the ceiling dizzily, trying to figure out who the fuck was so stupid at, _what was it…_I fumbled for the light on my wristwatch and groaned loudly when I read six AM. _Who gets up this early?_ I struggled to untangle myself, banging my hand in the process against the side table. I winced at the tingling, shaking it as I stood up. I tripped over the sheets and fell against the door which was throbbing to the touch.

Not the best of mornings…

"…_and then it's reaching_

_inside you_

_Forever preaching…_"

Especially when the door started creaking.

Her POV

I had woken him up good. I heard him thumping around through the bathroom door while I was rinsing my face. I giggled, before getting into the shower. I turned on the hot water and then began my automatic routine: soak, shampoo, blah-blah. What was I going to do with Ricky today? I couldn't very well spend the entire day showing him around. We had a major essay to finish for English, and my math homework was taking a dive lately. Maybe just the newest places. _That isn't much, _when I thought about it There was the revamped café we went to every weekend since we were seven. And the Ellipse, it had changed completely. I thought I should phone the rest of the gang, but then though against it. Tess and Louise had major homework, just like me, and I would meet Rei at the Ellipse anyway, this was his lot of the week.

I sighed.

And then jumped like hell when the bathroom door slammed open. Kai's blurred form stumbled in, falling to the floor. I forgot that the study door's lock was weak from the outside. Now, I was freaking out. I was freaking naked in the shower! I grabbed the towel hanging in the one dry corner and wrapped it around myself, having shut off the water in the process.

"kai! Get out!" I screamed at him while he just lay there. Steam was blurring my already disgustingly bad sight, but I could see him moving around, though at a snail's pace. He was groaning, probably from the knockabout he had had with the door. I sorta felt sorry for him, but at that moment, I wasn't really thinking about_ his _state of body.

"kai! Would you just get up and out!" I yelled at him through the shower door. He groaned again but struggled upright before dazedly getting to his feet, balancing himself with his hands on the bathroom counter. I sighed, the pique of my anger having suddenly plummeted to zero. It was my fault that he was like this now. Even though he had been mean to me, physically as well, nearly my entire life, it was no reason for me to do the same to him. I opened the shower door, wiped my dripping feet on the carpet, and padded over to the bathroom cabinet. I was squinting before I realised my glasses were on the counter on the other side of Kai. He was still hanging on to the counter, so my blush was oblivious to him as I grabbed them and then went back to the cabinet. I grabbed a regular aspirin and a tension tablet before closing the door. I poured a glass of water and then turned to him.

His POV

"Kai?" I heard Becky say through my headache. I turned to her, still gripping the edge of the counter. Every time I turned my head, it felt like I was in some rip curl wave of the ocean. I must've smacked my head against the floor or the door, I can't remember. Right now, I felt like I was going to throw up.

"Kai?" she said again. In her left hand there were two pills, and in the other was a glass of water. I looked up at her eyes. She looked down to her hand.

"One's an aspirin, and the other should help for the fall, they're muscle relaxants." She offered them to me again. My fingers shook as I took the pills and put them in my mouth, before taking the glass. I wasn't letting go of my grip on the only balance I had at the moment. As she let go of the glass, I caught a glimpse of her arms, and nearly spat the water out in shock.

I never knew they were so prominent. The cuts… they were mostly just silver lines, but here and there some were raised. There were so many…gods. I gulped down the water but then realized it was a bad idea as nausea threatened to overwhelm me.

"Kai, I'm sorry about this morning. It's my regular routine on a Saturday, I forgot about you," she explained. I was barely taken her apology in, I was busy fighting the memories of that night I could barely remember. Her scars, all the blood…

"Kai? Oh shit, I shouldn't have given you those pills so soon, quick…" as I began to lose, she pulled me to the toilet barely in time. I began to heave for no reason other than the shock of then and now, not even feeling the impact of my knees against the floor. I couldn't understand anything as I vomited. All I felt was my gut fighting me, and Becky's fingers on the back of my head, holding back my hair. I think it was ten minutes before my body just dry-heaved. I felt like I deserved more than that minimum of torture. I was finally able to let go, and my body just relaxed. I felt myself trembling. Her hand was under my arm and she struggled to pull me up. I got to my feet shakily. We both stumbled to my bedroom, my arm over her damp shoulder. I flopped onto my bed, groaning uncontrollably.

"kai, im going to call my dad to take you to the doctor, okay? You just lie here." Becky told me and I heard her running downstairs. I almost felt like I was about to pass out, but something was fighting me to remember that night; something was trying to break out of my skull, something…

"Ricky? Yeah, listen, long story really short, I've got to take Kai to the doctor. I'll maybe meet up with you later.yes...no, Ricky, I'll explain later, okay?ciao." footsteps came up to me. "Kai, I've called my dad, we'll get you help soon, 'kay? He'll be up here now, I'm gonna go get dressed quickly." I could hardly hear her over the war in my head, but I know I replied along the lines of she didn't have to come.

"I know, Kai. But it's my fault." I don't know, but were those fingertips along my forehead?

**To be continued…**

Songs used: 'Mobile' – Avril Lavigne

'Twisted Transistor' - KoRn


	9. Shouldn't, Couldn't, Wouldn't

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

* * *

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

* * *

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah, Becky, Louise, Tessa and Ricky (the last 4 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

* * *

Note on Fonts:

**Bold- definitions, TBC, Text (Mobiles/Cell phones, Books, Signs, etc)**

_**Italic- present thoughts, dreams, emphasis, lyrics, memories**_

Underlined- chapter title, POV, etc

* * *

Chapter 9: Shouldn't, Couldn't, Wouldn't

Her POV

"_Rebecca, do you know why you are here?"_

_Scratch, scratch, scratch…_

"_You know that I know from your file that you were admitted here because of your self-mutilation and attempted suicide, right? I won't attempt to treat you like a child and sugar-coat the facts."_

Like you aren't already with your stupid questions. _Scratch, scratch…_

_Sigh. "I am only trying to get you to understand what you did. nothing else than that understanding and healing." I closed my book. My session was up. I could leave now. And I wanted to. And she knew that. I left without saying a word. I went back to my room, and on my bed was a lone rose, yellow petals rimmed with orange. I put my book on the table and picked it up cautiously, trying to avoid the thorns. And then I noticed something._

_All the thorns had been flicked off._

"_who's that from?" someone asked behind me. I turned, to see Rei waiting outside my door with a nurse._

"_I thought it was from you." but I shrugged at the same time, so I don't know if I spoke it aloud or not._

_He smiled softly. _why?

* * *

His POV

A headache had woken me. The pain was small and just a little bit of a nuisance, but I didn't bother about it too much. It wasn't like something could have happened in the last three hours or so. I checked my watch and I just closed my eyes and sank my head into the pillow in resignation. It was a little after six-fifteen, and I felt like I had been struggling to wake up for longer than that.

And then my alarm went off. _I hate Saturdays._

I turned my clock radio on and flicked the light-switch. Only intense light and noise could wake me up after last night. I squinted in the sudden light, stretching my back as I tried to wake the rest of me. I had to get to the Ellipse soon so I could open up for the crazies and the café staff.

An image shot into my head. She was running to her father, sopping wet and wrapped in nothing but a towel. She was feeling guilty and scared. He was lying on a bed, unfocussed but remembering.

"oh fucking hell," I said out loud. I would have to somehow explain to my boss that I had a family emergency. I would have to rope my parents in. it was going to be _such_ a complicated process for so early in the morning. I left my bed and shuffled to the shower. I was so not in the mood for this.

* * *

Her POV

I had so much homework, and I still had to call Ricky back, but all I could do was sit in front of my computer and play minesweeper. Mindlessly. I clicked the smiley face way too many times. I thought on what had happened in the doc's office an hour ago.

I was told to wait outside as they checked Kai out. The doctor was kind enough to leave the door open a crack so I could at least hear what was going on. I wasn't making a show of my panic. Kai was acting so out of character on the ride there that my worry had shot up the scale 'cause of fearing that I had really done something so outrageously harmful with my prank, and I guess it really must have shown on my face.

He checked Kai's knock on the head and pronounced that it wasn't a concussion, to my complete relief. I heard him asking Kai to breathe for him, the stethoscope definitely, and then the hiss of the blood pressure armband as it deflated. And then he asked things that I couldn't make out, and- I broke off from my train of thoughts. I was _not _going to think about it now. What's done is done, and the result of my handiwork was lying on the bed in the next room, totally doped up on migraine and who-knows what else pills.

I was just so tired. I hadn't slept enough last night and Ricky woke me just as I fell asleep. I pushed back my chair, folded my arms on top of the desk and rested my head on them. _Just ten minutes to sort out this morning…

* * *

_

His POV

She looked so endearing. She was fast asleep, lying awkwardly on her arms on her desk. A thick strand of honey-bronze hair had drifted down to cross over her nose. It made my heart ache and swell to see her so innocent. And then I sighed softly. I was going to have to wake her now, make her think about what she HAD done this morning to Kai, make her panic over work, and make her vulnerability even worse. I steeled myself for waking her, reaching a hand to her shoulder.

"Becky. Be-cky," I said in a sing-song sort of voice. I hated this. I really HATED my lot in my life. she stirred a bit, and I shook her shoulder gently.

"Becky, you shouldn't fall asleep now, you'll ruin your sleep-cycle," I admonished her. she opened her eyes, looking at me blearily.

"you are such a bastard, you know that?" she said to me, irritation in her voice. I felt a stab in my heart, but just smiled at her.

"why would you say that? I'm saving you from your ever-lurking insomnia," I replied, trying to sound cheerful. I moved away from her as she sat up and stretched.

"yeah, like insomnia wouldn't be a great idea for tonight. I'm not going to do anything today, it just started so fucking badly. Rei," she said suddenly, switching her eyes to mine. "do you think I'm stupid?"

What the hell am I supposed to say to_ that_? She caught me off guard, and my silence was too long. I could see her mind instantly forming an accusation against me.

"Rebecca Kristine, what the hell are you accusing me of? And why such a weird question?" she turned away, too quickly for me to catch the answer in her eyes. She got up from the chair and went to her mirror, staring at her reflection. She squinted at herself before pushing her glasses back on. I felt the crack in her widening. What to do, what to do… I stared at her back.

"I don't know. I just… I tried to play a prank on Kai this morning, and it ended up hurting him, really badly. Am I any better than him? did I even think? It's so unfair, I _hate_ being so confused, and so fucking out of it all the time!" she sniffled, the tears welling in her voice. She roughly pulled her glasses off. I defrosted myself and hurried over to her, putting my arms around her so that my hands held her tightly from the front. She began crying.

"hey, _hey, _Becky, what's going on?" I said to her. her hands reached up and clutched my arms, while she leaned into my hug, her chin against her chest. I could feel her body shuddering beneath my arms as she cried silently. I had never known her to cry like this, so quietly and so needing physical contact. My chin just touched the top of her head, and I jealously savoured the contact.

"_hey_," I said softly. She turned her face into my shoulder, squeezing my arms. Her crying seemed to be slackening off. Something was going wrong. I could feel that the barrier between them was getting even wider, and that I wasn't understanding something. or maybe I was refusing to understand it. Becky didn't know it, but she was crying because she had intentionally but unintentionally hurt Kai, just like he had been doing to her all these years, and to her, she could never forgive herself.

"it's not your fault." She shook her head. "no, listen, it _isn't _your fault, get it? What you did to him could NEVER be as bad as what he does to you, and you mustn't EVER think that you can stoop to that level of stupidity. You are _not _stupid, you hear me Becky?" I stroked her hair. "I know it's not fair, I know. Just calm down." It seemed to have some effect on her. her shuddering lessened to a shivering and then to nothing. She sniffled, then sighed. And then I did something I didn't even think about until I had done it.

I kissed her neck. I know it seems so small, and so innocent, but in my core, I knew that it was anything but, and she knew it. I _enjoyed _it, I loved the feel of her skin against my lips. And I knew I should have stopped, but I couldn't, I was so intoxicated by the sensation. I kissed her harder, pushing my lips into her skin, opening my mouth, and I struggled to no avail. my tongue brushed her neck, tasting the mix of her sweat and mint body soap. In a faint line, my tongue just graced her neck.

And then I pulled back, so slowly, letting my lips linger on her skin. I stood there for a second before I pulled away quickly, retracting my arms from her embrace. I turned away from her and just made it to the door, before I heard Becky whisper my name.

I didn't have the strength to turn her away.

* * *

Her POV

I took a step towards him, and another. His eyes were on me, they burnt like smelting gold. It seemed as if what he was trying to tell me was to go back, but he looked as if he _hungered_ for me too. I had never been touched like that, I had never been _kissed _like that, let alone just a kiss on the lips. It told me of so much, and yet I didn't understand any of it. I just felt this ache in my chest. I took another tentative step towards him, and then he rushed at me, grabbing me, almost pulling me off my feet.

His lips took mine and I responded. I felt a need wake in my stomach, and I pushed into the kiss, my hands going around his neck, my fingers in his hair. My lips pulsed the harder he kissed me. I felt like I was going to run out of air, and he pulled back then, just for an instant, enough for both of us to catch a breath, and then he came back. He pulled me into him, his hands pushing at the small of my back, and I felt our chests colliding. He turned his head, and then I felt his mouth open on my closed lips, sucking me in.

I shakily willed myself to open my mouth, and then our tongues were touching, and I felt this enormous ball of heat flare up in my stomach. I think we both moaned at the same time as we embraced each-other. I couldn't help it, I felt my breasts crushing against his chest, and I felt like I was only waking up now, like this was the first true sensation I had ever felt in my life. I felt so limp. His thumb was stroking the hollow of my back, and I must have fallen into him because contact was broken. We were breathing, panting in unison. He looked down at me, his eyes reflecting me in the molten gold glow of his iris'. He looked as if he was in the purest awareness of - _love_?

He broke away from me suddenly, pulling away all physical contact. I staggered, just managing to grab the chair. He was breathing hard, almost heaving in the air. He looked down at his hands that had just started to shake, and then back at me.

"Rei…" I said softly, my voice nowhere near full strength. He shook his head violently.

"Spirits, what have I DONE? _What have I done_!" he ended up shouting before exploding out of my room and running out, leaving me so much more confused and broken.

But over the moon.

**To be continued…

* * *

**

PO: when I love my characters, sigh…

Rei: you love them too much.

Zicky: let the confusion reign!


	10. High & Dry

**Witch-Bitch**

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah, Becky, Louise, Tessa and Ricky (the last 4 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

Note on Fonts:

**Bold- definitions, TBC, Text (Mobiles/Cell phones, Books, Signs, etc)**

_**Italic- present thoughts, dreams, emphasis, lyrics, memories**_

* * *

Chapter 10: High & Dry

His POV

"Becky, did you and Rei get into a fight this morning?" Mrs. Kristine asked her daughter at the dinner table. "he ran out of here like a swarm of wasps was after him." I almost choked on the mouthful of pasta I had just swallowed.those two? _Fighting?_ I glanced over at Becky, who was absently playing with her food. I noticed how little she had eaten. _Maybe that's a sign?_ She abruptly dropped her fork.

"I don't feel so good. I'm gonna have an early night," she said before standing up and leaving the table. I heard her going up the stairs, but continued eating. There was something more going on here. I had never known of those two fighting, least of all of Rei over Becky: he had a protective streak running the diameter of the earth and back over Becky. _What on earth could they have fought about, if it was a fight?_ I thought to myself while her parents continued chatting over me. Would it have anything to do with what I think I heard through my passed-out state?

"…_what have I DONE?what have I done!" _maybe.

As I finished helping Mrs. Kristine with the dishes, she called me back from the kitchen door.

"Kai, would you please give this to Becky?" she asked, handing me a bottle of effervescent tablets. I nodded, said good-night, and then walked up to our rooms. I didn't go in from my room, I had already violated that privilege, if it had even been an option. _Why do you have to be such a goddamn mystery, Rebecca Kristine?_ i stopped outside her door. I could feel my fingers twisting the bottle in my palm. I gritted my teeth and knocked three times. I heard a thump and the creaking of floorboards.

"just a minute!" she called from inside. Was it just me or did she actually sound sick? Her voice had barely come through, it sounded like it had even cracked. Then I heard the water running in the bathroom. I felt a rock drop in my stomach at the sudden comprehension. She opened the door before I could get the hard feel of realization off my face. She glared at me through faint red-rimmed eyes.

"what do you want, Kai? I'm trying to sleep," she asked icily. Her voice _was _faint. Her face was drained of blood, paler than usual. "Kai?" she asked again, weary this time.

"here," I said, holding out the tablets, "your mom told me to give you this." She glanced down at them, not comprehending, then took them. Her fingers brushed mine but she barely even noticed. Just as she was closing the door, I put my hand on the wood and held fast. I felt very uncharacteristic at this point.

"Becky, is anything up?" her face was turned from mine, but I could see a muscle flex in her cheek.

"no," she barely answered. I held the door for a minute more and then let it go. As the door closed, I saw a drop of water slowly trickle down her cheek.

* * *

Her POV

This is what I felt: I felt utterly void of anything. i guess I was numb. I turned over and looked at my glowing clock: it read twelve, obviously PM. Mom and dad were already in bed, I heard them setting the alarm. Kai was probably asleep too. Rei too…

I felt my chest hitch, and my brain switching to crying mode. _No! I don't want to give in!_ I gulped back the heave in my throat, clutching teddy to my chest, curling around her. I was sick of this! I hated him! how could he have done this to me, how could he have run away when everything he had done and said so _much…_ _why Rei, why? you stupid bastard, why did you do it? I didn't deserve anything like that… _I shoved my face into the pillow so kai wouldn't hear me, it was a choice between humiliation and self-asphyxiation. I chose not to breathe.

But after I felt the material becoming sopping wet, and like there were locked doors in my nose and throat, I had to turn over, and thankfully I had stopped oozing water from my eyes. I stared up at the faintly glowing fan. I could feel a headache coming on.

"come on!" I exclaimed hoarsely to myself. "I will not be an emotional idiot!" I pulled myself up and wiped my eyes with the tips of my sleeves. I stared at the door, blankly. I wasn't thinking at all now, but I was wide awake. I felt breath escape me. I stood up and tucked teddy back into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

* * *

His POV

I woke up to the sound of the TV, just the whine of it being on. I blinked at the ceiling then pulled my wrist up to eye level. One AM. I let it fall back on the covers. Goosebumps raced up my arm at the cold chill of the morning hit my bare skin.

Why was the TV on? I looked at the door, trying to ignore my only thought. I tried to tune it out, turning over in the bed, pulling the covers over my head. My head still pounded from this morning, but the pills the doc gave me were making a sort of clear haze in my head.

"enough already Kai!" I snapped at myself, muffling myself against the sheets. I shoved the blankets off and grabbed my sweater. I shuffled to the door, cracking it open. The TV was on low and the only light shining from the TV lounge. I slipped out, edging along the wall till I got into the lounge.

Becky was huddled into one corner of the couch, a blanket so wrapping her that it hooded over her head and barely showed her face. A small teapot that was still full and steaming was standing on the table in front of her with a half-full mug. The TV was playing something with Jodie Foster in a bonnet.

"aren't you supposed to be asleep?" I heard myself say. She glanced up at me, the blanket sliding down to her shoulders. Her face glowed unhealthily in the screen light.

"can't sleep. What's your excuse? Oh, right, headache," she said, pointing to her skull, before turning back to the screen, reaching for her mug. I kept standing, watching her as she drank. She seemed…blank.

"quit staring. Just come and watch if you want to," she told me. I moved to the single but she scooted over even more. I hesitated. This was a boundary that she was asking me to cross. This was something that would affect everything from now on. Was I willing to chance it? I could just see Tala's expression in my head, his one of 'what the hell are you thinking?'. I sat down, folding my legs on the table. she gestured with the mug to the pot.

"I didn't bring another one; didn't know I was going to be hosting." I felt that I shouldn't refuse the offer, and besides, it was cold up here. I poured myself a cup, wrapping both my hands around the ceramic warmth. I took a sip, not expecting such a bittersweet taste that was so enticing. I liked it. I glanced back to Becky and suddenly remembered the tear trickling down her cheek last night.

My hands held onto the mug as my thoughts spun. Why had she been crying? What did Rei do to her? why was everything suddenly breaking out of the routine that I was used to, that I had made and kept going for all these years? I reached my hand out to her. I brushed my still-warm fingers across her cheek, stopping as they curled around her cheek. She turned towards me slowly, her eyes staring down at my fingers.

* * *

Her POV

"Kai, what are you trying to do?" He pulled away from me, turning his eyes to the shadows on the wall.

"I'm just trying to understand you," he said. He looked back at me. "Becky, what are you trying to do? I don't get you, I've never got you," he said hurriedly. I blinked at him: I didn't understand.

"why did you hurt yourself like that?" I froze, my mind flashing back to that night, that night-

"you tricked me," I replied. His eyes widened.

"what?" he asked disbelievingly. I tried to move away from him but there was no more room for me to move in.

"don't you remember? You asked me to that dance; you said that you would like it if I came, especially with you." his mouth worked at trying to say something.

"Becky, I didn't-"

"you picked me up with a bunch of other guys and girls. It was a whole party. You paid no attention, you let the others stare at me and snicker behind their hands." I could feel heat building in my cheeks. Blood drained from his face.

"and then when we got there, you left me alone, alone with people I didn't know anymore, who had changed completely. I thought you had been teasing me before, that It was some kind of affection that you were trying to hide. I was stupid to even think like that, but I did! my best friend had just left and now I was all alone in the entire school. I had _never_ connected with anyone else like the friendship I had with Ricky." I stood up from the couch, facing him with the blanket still around my arms.

"I _believed _you! I believed you when you said you wanted to be there with me, and then you totally crushed that small belief I had. And then, and then," I felt the tears build in my eyes and burst down my cheeks.

"I don't even remember what happened next! You fucked with my head so hard that all I remember is crying and running from you, running from those black eyes of your words, of your hatred, of everything. I remember closing a door, and…and…"

His face looked as if I had slapped him, but he spoke through it.

"you didn't close the door. You left it open." I froze. "you broke a mirror. You still had it your hand. I found you. I didn't know what to do. And you just kept on whispering, your voice going as you faded, you kept on saying it over and over again. And I knew it was my fault." He looked up at me, his eyes brimming with tears.

"because you kept on repeating those words. Those words that I couldn't remember till now, those that I told you," he said while getting to his feet. He walked to me, staring down into my eyes.

" 'You are nothing. You can give nothing. Therefore, you can't have love, especially not mine' over and over, your voice falling. Even when I shook you, you wouldn't stop saying them!" he said angrily, his hands gripping my shoulders suddenly.

"but they weren't true, what I said was something that I didn't believe, in anyone, especially you! God, Becky, I don't know why I ever listened to them, I don't know now why I did! I'm so sorry, _I'm so sorry!_" he exclaimed, abruptly encircling me with his arms and holding me tight against his chest. His chest heaved as I stood stiff in his arms. And then, the tears falling again down my cheeks, I hesitantly put my arms around him and pressed my fingers into his back.

* * *

His POV

I looked from below, watching the wisps of their words trail out of the house, watching some links repair while others still remained broken.

Maybe forgiveness would be on its way. Soon.

I heard a loud crack.

* * *

PO: Thanks to Sly-Minx for breaking the creator's block on this chapter. 

Rei: yeah, what'd you use: a sonic hammer or an ice-pick?


	11. Notoriety

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

1st Warning: this is complete AU.

Author's 1st Note: I am using the first Beyblade Kai for this story (first series), not G-Force or Evolution, although I may use outfits, emotions and other things from my glimpses of the other series.

Author's 2nd Note: for the stories sake, I have made Kai, Rei, Mariah, Becky, Louise, Tessa and Ricky (the last 4 are MINE) all seniors. Any other characters that eventually show up in the story, I will let you know their age and grade pertaining to the storyline.

Author's 3rd Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs in this and it'll get really confusing, so names will be used from now on.

* * *

Note on Fonts:

**Bold- definitions, TBC, Text (Mobiles/Cell phones, Books, Signs, etc)**

_**Italic- present thoughts, dreams, emphasis, lyrics, memories**_

Underlined- chapter title, POV, etc

* * *

Chapter 11: Notoriety 

Rei's POV

"You know, I knew…there was something about you I really didn't like."

"what are you doing here, Tala?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied, stretching his hand to the sky, eerily in the direction of the links. "but, honestly? I don't want to go into the tit-for-tat mood these sort of questions devolve into." He was making me edgy with his talk.

"so if you don't want to tell me, why don't you just leave?"

"I'm allowed to be here too. It's all about choice, Rei. Their's…" his eyes were gleaming as they turned back to me. "…and our's." he took a step towards me, jamming his hands into his pockets. I stood my ground while he came closer, until he was uncomfortably close, almost nose to nose.

"Rei…" he sang. I turned my head, wanting to get out of his air space. He wasn't acting like himself, this was a jokester; just as dangerous as the one I knew. He pushed my shoulder with his fingertips. "watch this." He cupped his hands around his mouth and I could hear him whispering; his eyes darted in my direction and I swear I could see the corner of his mouth lift up. I was getting _very _uneasy. And then I saw them and I felt my blood run cold.

His words were trailing out of his cupped hands like smoke, twisting and rising spontaneously but heading straight for the second floor. They vanished through the glass and I stared at Tala in shock.

"this is what I am. And this…" he reached behind my back and somehow, he reached past _this_ level and tugged at my outer soul. "this is what you are." I stepped back hastily, still feeling the touch of his ephemeral fingers on, in, me.

"how did the Spirits choose you? why are you here now?" I demanded furiously.

"I volunteered. This seemed like a fun Union to tamper with. And this close to them actually making it? It just seemed natural to reveal myself to you. oh," he started to laugh, chuckle more than full-out laughter, but then I realised why he wasn't doing that.

"especially with you in love with Becky. And that kiss? wow, Rei, you really fucked up," he said sarcastically, playing empathy. He patted my frozen shoulder and then took a step away.

"I'll be seeing you on Monday," he said as he walked off, waving a hand over his shoulder. He disappeared into the darkness and I was left standing there like the idiot I was, at a loss what to do next. Something nagged at my memory, something immediate, but I couldn't figure out what it was…

* * *

Kai's POV

_Get a hold of yourself Kai!_ I heard myself think. _But this… is… _something didn't make sense in my head, but one thing that did was her fingers, hesitant, and then… this felt right, I wasn't going to listen to that voice in my head. I realised that my face was wet. What was I doing? I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to shut out the confusion. I held Becky tighter.

"can't breathe," I heard her- _tease_? I loosened my hold and she looked up at me, a thin smile on her lips. "this is so freaking unreal. You hated me- we hated each-other," she corrected herself, "and now this!" she started to laugh. It started out deep, and was more like a chuckle, and then it turned silent and her shoulders shook with it as she leaned her head against my shoulder.

"so… what is this?" I asked.

"confusion," she answered immediately. "complete confusion," she sighed. "I don't know what to do…"

"I don't know either. I can't keep… hating you." the words sounded strange in my mouth. This time I sighed.

"maybe we should just sleep on it. We can talk later about it. What there _is_ to talk about-" she yawned suddenly. "hn. Night, Kai." She turned away from me and switched the TV off, leaving me in sudden darkness. I heard her pick something up, probably the tea, and then the door closed behind her. I sat down heavily on the couch, remembering her fingers. And then something else…

"_you have to do it," Tala said to me. "if you want to be in, if you want to get somewhere, you have to do it." I kept turning the pen over my fingers. This didn't sound right._

"_I don't know, Tala. Why her? she hasn't done anything to you guys-"_

"_that's not the point, Kai. If you want to survive, and in a position where you'll get somewhere once you graduate, you'll do this." He eyed my nervous fingers and I immediately put the pen down. I ran my fingers through the hair, looking around the empty courtyard. This was wrong on way too many levels…_

"_listen Kai, this is an easy one for you. pick her up, bring her over, and I can help you out with the rest. Don't worry about it," Tala reassured me, giving my shoulder a shove. _Yeah, right, like there was anything to worry about_, I thought sarcastically. I wondered what Rei would think about this. We hadn't been getting along for a while, not since I started hanging out with Tala and his gang. He wouldn't approve. I thought we were friends still, now. but-_

"_ask her tomorrow. report back to me," he ordered, standing up. I nodded and he left, leaving me alone on the bench. my head fell into my hands. _What was I doing? Going to do? _I didn't understand exactly what I was trying to do or accomplish with this. I didn't want to be a loser, I didn't want to be left out, I didn't want… it was all _so_ stupid…_

"_hey." I looked up. and there she was. Standing right in front of me with a concerned look on her face. _Shit, already? _She tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear but it crept back and she gave it an annoyed look._

"_are you alright?" she asked worriedly. I shook my head and gave her a tired grin. What more could I do?_

"_yeah, I'm fine." She narrowed her eyes at me. It looked like they went a darker shade too._

"_you don't look fine, Kai." She sat down next to me, keeping her eyes fixed on mine. I was just stunned at the way she just stopped her life and cared about me. "so, what's up? you've been acting really off lately."_

"_how would you know that? I never talk to you-"_

"_don't be an idiot. I might not know everything but I know some things. And let's talk now, I've got time." I looked at her strangely and she must have interpreted it as a question. "I'm getting a lift with Rei Kon. He's helping out at Tessa's band rehearsal. Speaking of which, what is up with you guys? I thought you were friends." She glared at me._

"_it's complicated." She rolled her eyes._

"_oh Gods, not that again. Listen, you made me worry bout you, you made me sit down here instead of getting badgered by Tessa (which I'm really grateful about, by the way), the least you can do is take my help and use it," she said, sounding ticked-off._

"_it is complicated, I'm sorry if that annoys you. and it's not that simple and easy to explain." _Least of all to you.

"_then do a scenario. You don't have to use names or places, just fake those, and tell me what's wrong so I can help, or try to make you feel better."_

"_you're weird, you know that?" I burst out. She looked at me, as if stunned but then she grinned._

"_I know. so?" she prompted. she looked at me inquisitively as I turned my eyes back to my fidgeting hands that had somehow found the pen. This was strange. I didn't know this side of Becky, I only knew her as being the quiet nerd, the other half of that pair with the Ozanne guy who had moved away recently. This talkative girl was the opposite to what they had made me to believe. And…_

"_Rebecca?" I looked up, startled from my thoughts, and there was Rei, standing in front of us. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at me._

"_Rei! You're finished already?" she said, sounding as startled as I felt._

"_yeah, the guys said they could do the last packing. You want to go?" he asked; it sounded more like a statement that a question._

"_uh…" she looked back and forth between us, suddenly nervous at the tension building. But that stress wasn't from me… _

"_just go. I'll be fine," I reassured her. or tried to because she didn't look like she believed me._

"_I'll talk to you before school tomorrow. don't try to bunk, okay?" she mock-threatened as she stood up. all I could do was nod at her glare, and then this brilliant smile lit up on her face before she turned and started walking with Rei. I could hear the anger in his voice as, I think, he tried to warn her against me. She glared at him in reply and they went quiet as they walked away._

"_yes Rei. Keep her away from me…"_

Were we going to be like that? Before I devolved into a complete idiot, devoid of any moral thought? How did I get the power to damage Becky like that? And what power was letting us be… I don't know, friends?

**To be continued…

* * *

**

PO: omg, why did I take so long? And… WHERE THE HELL AM I GOING? Ahhh, someone hold me…

Zicky: …

Rei: don't look at me!


	12. One, Two, Confusing You

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

Author's Note: this is complete AU

Author's Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs, so names will be used from now on.

Note on Fonts:

**Bold- definitions, TBC, Text (Mobiles/Cell phones, Books, Signs, etc)**

_**Italic- present thoughts, dreams, emphasis, lyrics, memories**_

Underlined- chapter title, POV, etc

* * *

Chapter 12: one, two, confusing you

Becky's POV

_Was I really asleep last night? Did we really… make up? are we really friends? _I pushed the heels of my hands hard against my eyeballs. I was still a bit out of it. _Was yesterday just a dream?_ No, it couldn't be, my cellphone had the right date on it. Oh gods, I didn't even want to think on yesterday. My hands fell heavily on my bed covers.

One, Rei had kissed me. And I had kissed back.

Two, Kai and I had made up. apologized, forgiven each-other.

Which one was more confusing? Which one should feel more important to me? Which one was more significant in my life at the moment? _Aaah! _I screamed long in my head. I couldn't get either of the sensations out of my head, or my skin. I could still feel his lips on my neck, his fingers on my cheek. I was so confused.

I turned onto my side and stared at the sunshine filtering through my window. _Still early out. _I sighed. I need to separate the two events so I could understand what they meant. But it was very difficult trying to separate my emotional reactions to them. Both of them had left me feeling freer than I had felt in so long… like, for once, I had a choice- or that, I'd freed myself from obligations I had made to myself.

I really couldn't help but smile at both of them. Even with Rei's running away. Why'd he go? I think I'm sure of what I saw in his eyes: he loves me. I could feel my heart beat a little bit faster, and this stupid grin appearing on my face…_ wow…_

And Kai. What was there to say about that? I mean, were we going to be friends? Or just acquaintances? Because I don't know how we could forget our past together, his tormenting of me throughout school. and how it was him that sent me to the hospital and that recovery centre. I needed to tell someone this. And my closest friend was Rei.

I took my phone off my table and looked in the phonebook. **Rei Kon C.**I flopped back on my back, just looking at the screen. _Should I? _but where would he be? Would he really stay in a place that I could get to? _Becky, you have to try. _Could I?

I sat up, the thought suddenly appearing in my head. Should I ask Kai? I slumped in defeat when I remembered that he was brought here by my dad. _Ricky?_ immediately the feelings of guilt bubbled up inside me. I had been brushing him off so much… _right Becky, add that to the stress of the day. _I growled softly. what could I do? I could only work on one thing at a time, and Kai was the only one that was right here, within my reach. For now…

It would have to be him.

* * *

Kai's POV

I heard a gentle knock on my door. I put the book down that I was paging through and walked over to the bathroom door, sliding it open. Becky looked up at me and smiled shyly.

"hey," she said quietly.

"morning. What's up?" I said back to her, also feeling awkward. This was strange. _I guess I can get used to it._

"I thought- well, that if you were awake we could make some breakfast. My mom and dad are both out so we won't have to worry about noise. Up for it?"

"you're saying it like it's something big and bad," I replied, not really answering her question. She rolled her eyes.

"let's not fight, after we just made up-" she stopped abruptly, turning a faint pink. She looked embarrassed. _About what? _

"I'm just offering a share of waffles, but if you don't want…" she turned round and started walking back to her room. I hurried to catch up to her. and then stopped abruptly in front of her open door. It hit me, what the comment sounded like. _Like we're dating. _To make up for the embarrassment I felt, I let the really stupid sentence pop out of my mouth.

"I love waffles." Her shoulders visibly relaxed. _Whew. _

"let's go."

* * *

"swifty, get out of there!" she exclaimed when she turned back after handing me a bowl. I turned round just quick enough to see her pull her small black cat out of the bowl of dough, its mouth and nose covered in batter. I chuckled as I watched her groaning at the cat. I turned my back and continued washing, hearing her reprimand the feline.

"do you mind Kai? She won't pass any germs to you."

"it's fine. my mom's cat used to do it too," I replied, wiping my hands on the drying cloth. I turned round, and I felt my eyes widen in surprise. Becky was sitting on the counter, having somehow squeezed herself into the small space, and was busy putting the batter into the waffle-iron. What actually shocked me was… those curves, the innocence of her body that I had seen when I had that first tutoring session, where I hadn't recognized her.

I'm sorry that that was what I noticed first. She looked up at me, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"you had a cat?" she asked while stretching out a leg along the surface. _Get your eyes off her, Kai! _

"…yeah, a ginger tabby. He stuck his nose into everything, food, packets… I once caught him in the seat of my dad's motorbike." She smiled at the thought, and it lit up her face. _Why on earth did I torture this girl?_ She turned her concentration back to the waffles, checking their progress. I had to do something.

"is there anything I can do?" I asked, stepping towards her. she turned to me, forgetting that she was holding the lid of the waffle-iron. The movement caused her to push it against her leg.

"OW!" she yelped. I rushed forward as, in contrast, she slowly pulled it away from her leg. "dang, that's going to sting," she hissed as she looked at the burn.

"let me take a look." I was standing right next to her, my knees against the shelves.

"it's not that bad. Some ice and antiseptic, it'll be fine," she said tightly to me, angling her body out of the space.

"Becky," I chastised her. she huffed.

"fine, have a look if it'll make you feel better." She switched off the waffle-iron at the wall. I had that tingling feeling of sudden nerves begin in my stomach as I stepped even closer. _What are you going to do?_

I took her calf in my hands, stretching it out as gently as I could. I could feel her muscles go rigid in my hands as I angled her leg for a better look. She was right; it was only a slight burn, her skin would just redden and be tender for a day or two.

"yeah, you're right. I'll get the ice." But I didn't move. I continued holding her leg in my hands. She was also frozen. I could feel the heat rush into her skin. I looked up at her and she was busy looking at me, a very anxious expression in her eyes. I felt like a heavy ball just thudded into my stomach. What was I doing? I was trying to figure out the answer as I inched forward, leaving my left hand to glide up the outside of her leg. And then I was right up against the counter, maybe a centimetre between us. She was pushing herself tight up against the book shelf.

"Kai, what are you doing?" she asked fearfully. I leaned in.

* * *

Becky's POV

"I don't know, Becky." Gods, if he didn't know, then how was I supposed to? I felt like my organs were slowly being set on fire.

"haven't you ever wondered… why I was so good to you in that week before the party?" I shook my head.

"because you sat down next to me, and put your life on hold. Just so you could help me," he answered for me.

"but-" he interrupted me.

"you were a target. But you turned into a person that day, for me. You were real. And I don't think you know how 'real' you are; how I must have noticed this, and that's why I could hurt you so badly." He pulled in closer to me. I tried to move back but I was wedged in so tight that I had no more room to move in.

"what has that got to do with now?" my voice cracked.

"everything. It must be everything, because how could I keep hurting you, cutting you down every day? I must have felt something then, like I did last night… and now." his hand came up and touched my neck, trailing along my skin until it was on the back of my neck. _No, no, no, no, no… _I could hear beating in my head. His fingers dug in gently as he pulled me closer. His other hand was still on my thigh, pulling my leg around his waist.

_No, no, no, no, no – what are you doing Kai? Don't, please don't, I'm not ready for this, please- _his lips touched mine.

It felt like the earth shook in response to his touch.

* * *

Rei's POV

"NO!" I heard myself howl. My blood boiled beneath my skin, I could only see red. I felt something heavy in my hands and I threw it across the dirt, barely even hearing its crash as I picked up something that was gritty with rust and threw it into the car shell.

"NOOO!" I screamed again, grabbing a long shaft of steel off the scrap pile in front of me. I felt it tear the skin of my hands, but I didn't care , I didn't give a fuck to what I was doing to my physical body. This could not be happening!

"NOOOOO!" I bellowed, hitting the heap in front of me, beating the parts of scrap that were projecting out like teeth towards me. I stepped into the mess and heard the roar of blood in my ears alongside the sound of screeching steel as it bent and broke with my blows. It sounded like laughter and I could feel the rage in me rise.

"FUCK YOU! FUCK THIS LIFE! I WON'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" I swung the shaft in my hands and hit the pane of glass in the car door. It shattered, sending small balls of razor-sharp glass everywhere, and the sudden loss of weight set off the unstable mess and it crumbled underneath my feet, sending me sprawling across the metal and tumbling down into the dirt.

I sat there, ignoring the stings of cuts and the pounding of the bruises across my body. I felt like I had a fever, like I was coming down from one. My breath came out in gasps, the sweat and blood dripped along my skin.

"what's the fucking point in all this? I don't want to do it anymore! I don't want to feel this anymore!" I screamed into the empty Devil's Sandbox.

"is that how you really feel?" a soft, gravely voice said behind me. I spun around, pushing myself off the ground. _What the…?_

"Tessa?" her short bob was tamed behind her ears, and a scowl was appearing on her face; her hands were on her hips. She looked pissed.

"no, you idiot. Your mentor. I honestly thought I'd taught you better."

**To be continued…**

* * *

PO: it's finally going my way. Creativity in one day. Don't you just love when that happens?

Zicky: …until creator's block hits you in the face again and you don't write for 5 months

PO: there is that


	13. Words Don't Really Mean Anything

**Witch-Bitch**

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

* * *

Author's Note: this is complete AU

Author's Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs, so names will be used from now on.

* * *

Note on Fonts:

**Bold- definitions, TBC, Text (Mobiles/Cell phones, Books, Signs, etc)**

_**Italic- present thoughts, dreams, emphasis, lyrics, memories**_

Underlined- chapter title, POV, etc

* * *

Chapter 13: Words Don't Really Mean Anything

Kai's POV

her arms went around my neck, her legs wrapped around my waist, scooting herself closer so that our chests touched. This left my hands free to move up her thighs and rest on her hips, and then around her back till I was holding her in a tight embrace. I could taste the faintest trace of chocolate on her lips.

It was enough to keep holding them with mine, to feel this sensation of surrounding the uneven bows and tracing them with my tongue. But then just as I opened my mouth again, hers opened, and we entered a new level of heaven. I held her tighter, feeling my fingertips dig into her skin, and hers pushing in my neck.

And then it suddenly stopped. It was like her body had seized up, the second before an electric shock because she broke away, unwrapping her legs and putting her hands on my chest, pushing me away weakly.

"no, this isn't right," she said breathlessly. I was taken aback.

"what?" I said in disbelief. She shook her head slowly, closing her eyes.

"this isn't right," she repeated. "it's not true. This is… this is just, the confusion, the relief at the peace we found yesterday. we don't really feel…" she pushed against my chest again.

"we don't _feel? _How can you say you don't feel this?" I demanded, trailing the skin of her hips with my thumbs. She shivered at the touch.

"this can't be happening," she said anxiously, her fingers gripping my shirt. I leaned into her space and she drew back immediately, looking like a cornered animal.

"it is, Becky. There is something happening between us, right now. don't deny it-"

"no!" she cried out, shoving me back with frenzied strength. She half-fell, half-stumbled off the counter, and then she was running, slipping on the tiles, and I heard her rapid steps up the stairs and across the floor, and her door slamming closed.

I stood there frozen. I didn't know what to do. Not about this. I picked up the bowl of dough and put it in the fridge. I started cleaning up.

* * *

Rei's POV

"_what?_" I asked, completely doubting what I had just heard. Maybe I was hallucinating. What was Tessa doing here anyway?

"seriously Rei. I thought you knew the rules, I thought that you knew our purpose well enough… Gods, I should have seen this," she said in exasperation, squeezing the bridge of her nose with her fingers. She started to walk away from me. I stood there, still shocked.

"come on, Rei. I don't have a lot of time." I hurried after her.

"Tessa, I –"

"_I _am not Tessa. This girl is Tessa, my temporary conduit. What were you thinking?" she asked me, abruptly spinning round to halt me in my tracks. "you directly involved yourself in her future, theirs! Do you realize how that's affected the balance? And now, you've totally closed yourself from seeing and she's hurting, as well as Kai." She started walking again.

"but-" I tried to object, but she stopped me with a held-up palm.

"don't try to justify this, especially not to me. You knew! How are you going to fix this? You know the time is drawing close…" she trailed off in thought. How could I object to the things she said? They were all true, and I knew that I shouldn't have done it, knew I shouldn't have acted on it. But…

"we all know she's special, Rei. But you signed up for this." She sighed, stopping in front of my car. She turned to face me and leaned against the bonnet. "you have to rectify this. I'm at a loss." And then she started _fading_, slowly turning transparent.

"and you have to do it _now._ can't you hear her pain?" she was gone. At her last word, I shoved aside my anger and opened my inner soul outwards. It hit me like a fist in the stomach and I had to hold myself up by the hood of the car.

* * *

Becky's POV

_That didn't just happen... But it did! _I pressed the pillow tighter around my face. Just when things were slowly starting to work, make sense… another barrier to my life. his feelings… what had I done to have the two major characters in my life feel _that _way about me? I kicked my mattress in frustration, feeling the tears soak the pillow.

I wasn't sad, I was angry, confused, frustrated, because I didn't know what to do. I couldn't talk to anyone, because no-one else knew me like Rei did, no-one understood what I gone through, seen it all. How could we get past it? And I groaned in my head as I thought about Kai, and what we had done…

_they're great kissers. _I jerked my head away from the pillow, shoving myself upright. Great, now my thoughts were against me? I punched the pillow, feeling no satisfaction. My ears suddenly perked up at the faint sound of knocking on my door. _it can't be, I heard him go outside._

"Becky?" I looked up and sighed. _You're really jerking my chain, aren't you? _"can I come in? I understand if you don't want me to." He was silent on the other side, and so was I. I preferred the barrier of wood, then he couldn't see my face red with tears, and I wouldn't see those gold eyes of his.

"how did you get in?"

"I climbed over the fence and snuck in," he answered immediately. _Where's Kai hiding? _I rubbed my eyes irritably. "Becky? We need to talk."

"not now, Rei."

"yes, now. I need to explain why…I did what I did," he said softly. I sighed again. There was no way of getting rid of him, he was as stubborn as a boulder in a river.

"fine." the door opened slowly, and then he stepped hesitantly into my room, shutting the door behind him. I steeled myself for any sudden movement on his part.

"may I?" he said, indicating my desk chair. I nodded and he squeezed himself into the small chair that was normally huge to me. And then there was total silence. Awkwardly, I broke it.

"so why did you?" I asked quietly.

"isn't it obvious?" he sighed. "that's not what I meant to say." I hugged the pillow to my chest.

"then what did you mean? you have to explain, Rei, because I was just the Truman in your show, okay? I've never seen that part of you, you've always been my... " I knew my next words were going to hurt, but I had to say them. "…brother." He winced, just like I knew he would.

"I know. I just…" he ran his fingers through his long fringe, looking like he was thinking long and hard about what to say. "I just…" he started again.

"what?" he looked up at me.

"I care about you. and… I do love you, Becky." My heart skipped a beat. He turned his gaze away, looking at the sunlit blinds. "and yesterday, when you were so helpless , it overwhelmed me, this… feeling of wanting to protect you, hold you, show you that someone cared. And my emotions got the better of me, and I got carried away." He looked back at me. I knew my eyes were wide in amazement, or shock, I didn't know which one was better.

"I know you'll never see me as anything more than a big brother. And I can live with that, as hard as it's going to be. I just want you to know that I'm here for you. I still want to be your friend, I still want to care for you and protect you, and make sure you find what's best for you. please forgive me. Don't shut me out, please," he begged, leaning forward in the chair.

What should I say? _I _didn't know if I would only ever see him in the same light again. Was it never going to happen again? What if I wanted it to? I pulled my fringe with one hand.

"Becky?" I heard him ask in worry. I looked up at him and smiled thinly.

" you don't decide what I do, Rei. I can forgive you, because you were there for me, all these years. And I won't shut you out. But you don't get to decide what I feel…" _feel…_ that stupid word was back again to haunt me and my decisions. I rubbed my eyes furiously. I heard him exhale loudly.

"but I won't let you act on them, alright? There's someone better than me waiting for you," he said sadly. And that just set off the tears again. He got up and sat next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders.

"tell me what happened."

"let me finish crying, alright? And then I'll talk," I said, sounding as defeated as I felt.

* * *

Kai's POV

I heard them talking as I entered my room. I don't know how he got in, and I didn't really care. I felt the green bite of jealousy as I grabbed up my clothes and toiletries. How could they make up so easily, and I was left in the dark? Feeling completely frustrated, I started downstairs to use the ground-floor bathroom.

I had nothing to do, nothing to stop my thoughts fighting what was happening. What was going on in my head? Why had I lost control then… I mean, why- I shook my head. Was she right? Was it just an extreme reaction to last night? I slammed my stuff down onto the counter. I didn't believe it.

She had responded to me, I could feel it. There had been feelings involved, we had connected. For god's sake, she had trapped me with her arms and legs! I didn't know… if there was anything further to it. I looked at my reflection for a while, just staring at myself and considering what I could give her, if I pushed it and she let me.

_Picture it, Kai. You and her, on a date. What Tala's expression would be. What everyone would do. Would you really risk a possible future for what you felt just now? _I rubbed my neck at the tension I could feel building. Both sides of my reason were telling me to go for both. I sighed, forcing the air through my teeth. I stared at my reflection.

_You have to choose, Kai. And soon… or else the chance is going to slip through your fingers. _

* * *

Rei's POV

Inside, I was forcing my anger aside. They had done it… they were on the path, at least. Forgiven each-other of the hurts of the past. And then Kai made the first move. If only Becky wasn't so terrified of being close to anyone. I made to pull a wet strand of hair away from her cheek, and there was a slight flinching back from me, but she let it.

_Don't slip back there, Becky. _

"Rei? I don't know if… he _was_ genuine last night, I'm sure of that. But… you tell me, because my brain feels like sludge right now." she sighed, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. "are you sure…?" she asked timidly. I shook my head.

"no," answering the silent question, knowing exactly what she was referring to. She sighed again.

"you know , it would be so much easier with you. I know how you feel, and your intentions-"

"no Becky. We've talked about this already." she huffed at me.

"spoilsport."

"no, big brother." Gods, it hurt saying that.

"_fi-ne_. give me your take on this mess I got stuck into." I sighed. _I'm stuck in this mess too, you know._

"you had feelings for him, before _that_ day," I said bluntly. "and he must have feelings for you, because I remember the days before the party, and he was the Kai I remembered." She knuckled the exhaustion from her eyes.

"great…"

**To be continued…**

* * *

PO: bad ending, I know, but it was getting long-winded and really annoying

Zicky: yeah, save her from annoyance of herself


	14. Pass or Fail

Witch-Bitch

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Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

* * *

Author's Note: this is complete AU

Author's Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs, so names will be used from now on.

Note on Fonts: please look at previous chapters.

* * *

Chapter 14: Pass or Fail

* * *

Tala's POV

"yes I know." I paused while I heard the same shit I had been told since I volunteered. "look, I'm doing everything I can, but it's not like I can have direct influence-" I was cut down again, and I could feel my anger suddenly reach boiling point. "that was _your _plan, you told me to act like that so that my earth-parents would plan that party!" I winced as my mentor took a swipe at my being.

"yes sir. Understood-" I felt my jaw drop at his command. And then a slow smile crept on my lips. "you serious? I get to do _that_?" I heard his consent. "I'll get right on it." My head was cleared of his presence, and I sat back in my chair, slowly savouring what had just been granted me.

Allowing this… this was the best thing since I turned Kai against Becky and she had ended up in hospital. It's not like I was playing for the evil side, the dark side.; let me clear that up. We were just the guys that had to test ALL the possibilities, whether good or bad. I specialized in testing the worst-case scenarios on the unions. Rei was a guardian angel: yeah, 'guardian' and 'angel' put together means something completely different to what he was . he was just a guide, a mentor. He could make things clear, options visible. He couldn't say anything directly, or take a direct stance. He just protected them, helped them out…

I was a tester. I got to see if there was a chance that the internal balance would be strengthened or threatened, so we would know what to plan next for the future- but that was still a fuzzy concept to me, I doubt that Rei would know either. But… thinking on him, I couldn't help but feel a wicked grin come onto my face at the knowledge that he HAD directly influenced Becky and Kai's union.

There was nothing in the rulebook about me not having a little fun.

* * *

Becky's POV

"but that was just a crush. I've stopped feeling that way-"

"have you? have you really?" Rei interrupted me. "you're strong, Becky; stronger that you were before you nearly killed yourself, so why do you let it still get to you?" I had a perfectly good answer for that, except that when I opened my mouth to answer… I lost it. Rei smiled at me.

"see? You can't object because you don't really believe it."

"but it doesn't make any sense! Yes, we kinda made up last night, but that doesn't absolve Kai or release him from all those years of pain! So why would I still have those feelings?" I exclaimed in frustration. Rei leaned back against the wall.

"love's a funny thing," he said casually.

"love?" I squeaked, my voice turning traitor. "we were talking about a crush just a second ago, and now it's _love_ I'm supposed to be feeling?"

"I can't see it any other way."

"I am so not liking you right now."

"I know you don't, but I'm just laying out the facts for you to see." I looked back at him and scowled.

"emotions aren't facts," I tried to argue, but I knew it was weak. I couldn't argue what Rei was saying, because they were things running through my mind at that time and now, even as we talked. I admit, to myself only at this time, that what had happened was… amazing.

It had felt like a candle had just been relit. I don't deny that in those few, brief days before my whole life had turned around, that I _had_ felt something. I had felt something happening, something coming together. He hadn't been the Kai of last week, he hadn't had this intent whenever he saw me to hurt me. He had been quiet. In those moments when he found me, he would sit and stay, and it felt like he was there for my presence. I didn't know what it was. To me, it was so strange and new. I didn't know what to do. Should I talk to him, ask him how it was going, what he was up to?

Mostly we talked about school, about class. Nothing specific. He had these rare moments when he would ask something so strange but exactly what I was thinking about, and then I would babble. This only happened three times, but it had really meant something to me when he listened, and _really _listened. Should I act on that? Could I really forgive him for pushing me to that…edge? What if it happened again? I shuddered thinking about it. Rei reached out and put his hand on my shoulder.

I had visited death and I wasn't ready to call again.

* * *

Rei's POV

I could see her struggling with her memories. I could hear them as she muddled around her words, trying to come to terms with it all and trying to understand what she was feeling now. my hand on her shoulder was nothing short of comfort to her, and torture to me. Tessa, or my mentor, whatever she was called, was right. She was special, and everyone knew it.

Only she couldn't be special for me. And that hurt, knowing that this was my only purpose in life, to bring them together. I could hear him too. He was pissed at me, at the way that she had so easily forgiven me and was avoiding him. he forgets that he wounded her so badly, that it took her three months before she would talk to anyone. And so long, _so long, _for her to let herself be touched by anyone else.

"then what do I do?" she said so quietly, I was sure she was talking to herself. I pulled myself upright, leaving me hand on her shoulder.

"what do you want to do?" I coaxed. She looked at me, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"I want… to go slowly. I just want to talk. I just want to listen. I just want him to hear me and act… right. He can't leave, he's stuck here for a while, and I don't want it to be awkward between us. But… I don't want to try _that_ again… not just yet. Don't you just hate the word 'just'?" she asked out of the blue. Luckily, I knew what she meant, and I grinned at her, knowing that she had made a decision, and was sticking by it.

"it is a trifle irritating, isn't it?" I said lightly. She whacked me with her pillow, pouting comically.

"a 'trifle irritating'? where do you come with these phrases, good sir?" she teased, whacking me again.

"mercy, slave-warden!" I called out, holding my hands up in surrender; but then I grabbed her other pillow and thumped her good.

"I'm so going to get you for that! This means war!" she growled menacingly, aiming her pillow for my face. I ducked, wandering at her change of mood. She had always been tiring to follow: she zipped from each emotion with an uncanny speed once she made her mind up about something. I managed a good thump across her shoulder and she tumbled off her bed, giggling. I peered over the edge, and my heart froze me before I could act with the sudden intent that formed in her mind.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down, so that I had to hold myself up by bracing my hands on either side of her head. She looked at me, upside down; the back of my wrists touched the top of her shoulders.

"why?" she asked, suddenly serious again. "why not, Rei? It's not a natural course of action, but time that's put this chance before us. Why can't we take it? I really don't understand…" she tried to pull me down but I was stronger than her.

"I've told you Becky, there's someone better than me for you."

"what, like Kai?" I nearly lost my grip. "Who says that he's the better choice? If I remember correctly, he was the one that made me cut deeper, he made me try kill myself."

"but are you sure he wasn't himself? That maybe he was drunk, and didn't know what he was saying? That maybe he was threatened, and couldn't do anything but say those words?" she shook her head from side to side.

"how can another human do that to someone else?" she shook her head again, and tried to tug me down. My arms were shaking with the effort. "what if I don't want him? what if this 'someone else' _is_ you? can't we try?"

"Becky, you don't understand-"

"then make me. Show me that you don't love me that way," she said pleadingly. She looked at me with eyes filled with questions, and demanding, and I couldn't answer her, not the way she wanted. But… just this one chance, maybe? Just a parting shot, so that she would know finally that I wasn't the one?

_No Rei, stop convincing yourself of that! She doesn't know any better, she's never known- you'll be corrupting everything that their Union stands for, most likely damaging any chance of ever fixing this! _I looked into her eyes and felt my resolve weakening, dying away like a snuffed flame. I wanted her. I loved her. it wasn't fair that things had turned out like this, it wasn't fair that I had to be denied.

I let her next tug draw me down, and our noses bumped into each-other. Her eyes sparkled as I braced my elbows by her ears. And then I lowered my head, until my lips touched her own, upside-down lips. Her fingers went into my hair, trailing the fuzz on the back of my neck. _So unfair… _I thought hazily as I opened my mouth.

* * *

Kai's POV

Why were they so quiet all of a sudden? I couldn't hear their chattering anymore, and I wondered… I suddenly felt hot all over, like someone had just lit a bonfire inside me. They couldn't… could they? I felt the muscles in my abdomen tighten with fury, with… fear. _I'm too late. She's made her choice._

I felt completely lost by it. I was detached as my hands bundled up shoes, keys and my shades; while I walked robot-like down the stairs and grabbed the spare set of keys off the rack that Mr. Kristine had pointed out to me; while I checked the position of her cats; when I jumped over the fence, and then started running, running, _running. _

_Why did you ever entertain any thought of her? she was never going to accept you, you hurt her, you betrayed her trust! Naturally she would go for Rei, he's been with her for longer, he's been there for her! _I felt like screaming, like tearing something apart with my hands. I just wanted to get out of this place, where nothing made sense. she wasn't ever going to think of me that way, how could she? How could she ever learn to trust her heart to the boy that had tortured her for most of her young adult life? how could she ever go for someone like that?

I seriously doubted that I would go for me if I was her. but what did Rei have that I couldn't offer, that I couldn't try to give her? _time. A fuckload of time to comfort her every time you made her cry, time to hold her when she broke down, time to talk with her about anything, everything. _

"it isn't fair!" I screamed breathlessly into the empty sky. The empty street seemed to echo it back to me, warped. _…it is…is fair…it is…is fair… _no it wasn't! I wanted a chance with her too, I wanted to show her that I was sorry, that all I wanted to do was beg for her to forgive me for what I had done. Why couldn't I have a second chance with her, like Rei had?

Completely out of breath and my mouth dry as if caked with dust, I realized I was outside the gates of the mansion, leaning one hand against the cement pillar of the one gate. I inhaled deeply, swallowing a few times to work up the spit, and then pushed the button on the remote, and the gates quietly glided open. I shut the alarms down, and then entered the garage.

_How did I get here so fast? _I knew the drive was only fifteen minutes, and worked it out to be a half-hour walk as I almost drowned myself under the faucet of the outside bathroom. maybe my rage had powered my run. I didn't know. All I knew was the gleaming of my bike as I switched on the light, and it lit up like it was glad to see me. I touched its handlebars, grateful for the one friend I had in my life.

**To be continued…**

* * *

PO: what are you thinking Rei! You're messing up my whole plot!

Rei: I understand that you're a girl, but you look at her in your mind, and tell me why I _wouldn't _go for her.

PO: oh… but, well, come on! I'm the writer here!

Zicky: don't try fighting it, PO. They ain't just working yet.

PO: sigh… you're right. Come on people; review!


	15. For the Love of

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

* * *

Author's Note: this is complete AU

Author's Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs, so names will be used from now on.

Note on Fonts: please look at previous chapters.

* * *

Dedications: this one is for neko-girl16 (UID 1363688), for a most awesome and uplifting review.

* * *

Chapter 15: for the love of

* * *

Becky's POV

"Becky! Kai! Would you come help me please?" my mom's voice called out, startling Rei from me. somehow he had made it onto the floor with me, and I somehow had ended up tightly enclosed in his arms. I really, really liked being there, seeing his gold eyes looking down at me, totally aware of what we had been doing. But in some fuzzy part of my brain, I knew it was different… from what, I wasn't too aware of.

"kids, I would appreciate an answer!" my mom called out again. I pulled my arms out of their locked position and covered Rei's ears.

"COMING!" I shouted through the door. Rei winced at the close proximity. "sorry," I whispered, "but if I don't answer, she'll come barging into my room."

"I know," he whispered back. "still… ow," he grumbled playfully. He let go of me as I started to get up. he pulled himself up by my bedpost and sat on my bed while I straightened my pyjamas. I couldn't get my head around it still being so early, and then I caught sight of my clock, and almost choked on my next breath.

"gods, it's one already?" I exclaimed, totally shocked. Rei turned to look and his eyes widened too.

"whoa… we really lost track of time, didn't we?" he said, just as amazed as me. I stepped towards him, leaning my hip against his arm. I liked this closeness, liked touching him in a way that didn't want him for comfort, or selfishly for his strength. He put his arm around my waist almost tentatively. He still acted like he was doing something wrong, but enjoying it anyway, almost reckless.

"it was a good waste of time, though; wasn't it?" I asked.

"hell yeah," he answered contentedly.

"wanna do it again?" he touched the tip of his finger to the pulse beating in the hollow of my neck.

"let's go down before your mom drags you down. We don't want to give her any ideas." I realized the truth of his words and blushed.

"no, don't want that," I said hurriedly in agreement. I started toward the door, but then stepped back again, half-stumbling into Rei. "shit! It's late, should I change?" I tried to turn back but Rei gripped my shoulders and pushed me forward.

"no, Becky. It's Sunday, you're always in your pjs, so stop panicking. You look fine," he told me gently in exasperation. I felt my shoulders relax, and let out a breath I'd been holding in. _right. Here we go._

* * *

Rei's POV

Like usual, she skipped the last two steps and set off for the kitchen with a hyper bounce in her step. I heard her greet her mom and tell her that I was visiting, packets rustling. She popped her head around the corner, her hair swishing into her face and mouth.

"pah!" she exclaimed, spitting out the strands. "mom bought the monthly groceries, she wants help carrying them in. come help?" she asked. I shrugged my answer and she turned back into the kitchen.

"by the way, where's Kai? He should be helping you too," Mrs. Kristine asked Becky just as she opened the door. she pulled it closed reflexively.

"isn't he outside?" she asked, her voice pitched a tone higher. Mrs. Kristine shook her head with her back to Becky, unpacking tins from a loaded packet. Becky looked back at me, her eyes growing worried, and then her eyes flicked to the key rack.

"mom, did dad take the spare keys this morning?"

"no. why?" I could see the story quickly forming in Becky's eyes. And I could also see inside her mind, and her worry was nagging at her. she was thinking about this morning, and she suddenly realized that he had disappeared because of that…

"I… just remembered, he said he was going to walk down to the Ellipse and wouldn't be back for a while. I'll get the rest of the stuff," she said hurriedly, grabbing my sleeve and dragging me outside. She walked out of range of the house, still pulling me by my sleeve, and then she whirled around to face me.

"Rei, we need to find him! it's my fault that he's run away, I know it is! We've got to find him before he does something stupid!" she said anxiously. With that, everything crashed into focus- _what the fuck have I been doing? _I felt like running my hand through my hair, but I had to keep calm for Becky. Gods, how could I keep being so stupid? And selfish? How could I keep loving her?

At this, I did run my hand through my hair. I could feel it agitate Becky, and inhaled deeply. I would have to figure this out later. Trying to think around Becky, after what we- what I did, was distracting… fuck, I couldn't even make sense to myself at this point.

"rei?" she asked in a small voice. I looked at her and smiled reassuringly, squeezing her shoulder. She relaxed in relief.

"do you have any idea where he could be?" she asked. I could think of quite a few at this point, and I did know exactly where he was: going drag-crazy at the Sandbox. But I couldn't tell her that. She had to figure this out herself, they had made a start on their connection…

"do you have his number? He never gave it to my parents." _But what would that help, why would he even have it on if he ran away from me? _she thought in exasperation to herself. _Think Becky, think! Where would you run to? _I pulled my phone out of my pocket and searched for his number, knowing it was still the same. I could give it to her now and she could try while she was thinking it out, I didn't want to pressure her. I heard the mental click in her head.

"I know where he is. Can you please take the rest of the groceries inside while I change?" she asked me energetically before racing inside, leaving me just a little amazed at their bond. And jealous.

* * *

Becky's POV

Right. Okay. I didn't know how I figured it out. But I did. if Rei hadn't been here for me, I would've run to the Ellipse, the only place where I knew I would go after crying so hard that it left me drained and down and angry, and where I could release it all. _Babble babble babble. _

"mom, Rei and I are going out. I'll be back later," I called out to my mom as I ran out of the kitchen. Rei was already waiting in his car, then engine purring through the frame as I jumped in.

"where are we going exactly?" he asked curiously.

"devil's sandbox. That's where he would go." And in total silence, we drove off. This was just a little more than awkward. Where were my allegiances? Or, more intelligently, where the heck was my heart? How could I be so fickle when it came to these two? I loved Rei. And I… I think I loved Kai too. But in what way did I love either of them? I started twisting my hair around my fingers.

Was I pushing myself onto Rei, because he was safe and knew me to a T? I couldn't really answer my own question until I got to know both of them in that way. And that wasn't me, I didn't play people. I sighed out loud and Rei glanced sideways at me.

"what's up?" he probed gently.

"rei…" I started and then stopped myself, trying to collect my thoughts.

"yeah?"

"what… what do you want?" I asked, pointedly looking out the window. _Please give me a straight answer. _

"I don't really know what I want, Becky. What exactly are you asking me about?"

"us," I squeaked out. _Damnit, my voice is bloody well telling everything I'm thinking. _

"I don't understand what you're trying to ask." I really couldn't expand on it, and he looked at me sideways again. "Becky, what's wrong? Try and tell me. I am your friend, first and foremost."

"why do you say that there's someone better than you out there for me? I don't understand why you think that. I really don't get why it can't be you. what if I want it to be you? and- what if it is someone else? What are you going to do? What's that going to do to you?" I exhaled loudly. _Blurt blurt blurt. Just get it over with._

"you went back on your promise of this morning-"

"I never promised you anything," he interrupted me.

"fine, you didn't promise, but you sure as hell made some sort of commitment to your words! You broke it, no matter what it was, and I need to know what's going to happen because of that, I need to know what it means to you, and what it means… to me." I heard the air hiss through his teeth and then the car shuddered to a stop. I realized that we were just outside the Sandbox.

It was silent, as quiet inside the car as outside. I concentrated on Rei's face, and he looked more confused than I felt. It wasn't just plain confusion, the kind where you figured out the answer a minute later. This was more anxious, more troubled. It looked like he was struggling against something stronger than words. I waited for him, letting the hands of the car clock tick past five minutes, then ten, and eventually twenty minutes had passed in silence.

"rei?" I whispered. he was still gripping the steering-wheel in a tightening grip, his knuckles white. "rei?" I said again, feeling like I was stepping on ice. He still refused to look at me. and then, still tensed like a locked spring, he answered.

"becky, I- can't love you, but I do. It's too complicated for me to explain, and you won't… I just can't tell you," he said tightly, but sounding sad too. I reached my hand out to his, and he snapped at me.

"don't! it can't be like that!" he half-yelled. I winced back, pulling myself against the car-seat. He looked at me and the anger melted from his face. I only noticed then that I was shaking in my seat. "I'm sorry, I don't want … to do this. Becky, please," he pleaded as I shrank back against the door, against my own will. My head felt like it was shutting down, I felt outside myself, like I was fog, mist, insubstantial. I was loosing control of myself.

"don't-" the door suddenly opened behind me, dumping me backwards onto the gravel and dirt path. I stared up at the sky for a second, not sure of what I was doing on my back. "becky!" I heard Rei faintly call. I felt the earth underneath me start shaking and I sat up abruptly. Something was wrong, I knew it: not now, but going to happen. He stood over me, holding out his hands. I took them automatically, not focussing: I was listening to the soft noise of an engine. He helped me up and put me up against the car so I could keep my balance.

"are you alright?" he asked worriedly. I nodded. I felt dissociated from everything, but I understood: I could see what Rei was asking me. I nodded again, placing my hands on either side of his face.

" I understand," I said softly. and I snapped back to reality. _What do i…_ and the noise of the engine was closer and louder than before. I took off running, not knowing where I was heading to but just following the noise, following my instincts.

I saw him prepare to jump. Saw the sand shoot out from under the rear-wheel at the acceleration down the hill. Saw the light glinting off his hair. And then, while I stood frozen, he went off the ledge, too low. Everything went crazy: the sunlight half-blinded me; he hit the ground too hard and fast, and lost control of the bike; I screamed, half-running towards him; he went crashing into a towering pile of tin roof plating.

They showered down on top of him like hail on a child.

"KAI!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

PO: I feel like I need to explain a bit about their moods, specifically Becky and Rei. Becky is damaged: she is extremely sensitive, and her loneliness when Ricky left combined with Kai's torment did push her over the edge, and she nearly succeeded in killing herself (there are some spoilers waiting to be blurted out, but they won't). you can basically say that she suffers from mild bipolar 2, but I'm just likening her symptoms to that disorder. Rei's mood basically shifts from his duty and his heart, and that's why his moods are so quick to change, because there's this torrid conflict inside him between his own human wants and his celestial responsibility.


	16. Again

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

* * *

Author's Note: this is complete AU

Author's Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs, so names will be used from now on.

Note on Fonts: please look at previous chapters.

* * *

Chapter 16: Again

Kai's POV

"you idiot! You stupid, fucking idiot! What do you think you were doing?" I heard someone screaming at me. something was pressing down on top of me, pushing hard on my chest, forcing me to breathe in short gasps. Then I felt the pressure release as I was jerked out unexpectedly from its hold. I blinked in the dusty light, feeling my lungs expand with relief as I breathed freely.

"what the fuck were you trying to do? Answer me, Kai!" she yelled at me hysterically. One small hand was shaking my shoulder, the other was almost slapping my face.

"becky, I don't think he's aware of what happened," a male voice I knew said to her. _becky? Rei? What's going on?_ I thought sluggishly. My eyes were open but I was only starting to focus on what was above me: becky, looking down at me, her face white except for her flushed cheeks; her eyes were narrowed and tears threatened to spill from the corners.

"be…cca?" I managed to choke out. My mouth and throat was filled with dust, and my chest started to throb in pain. A tiny droplet escaped from her eye.

"kai?" she whispered, the anger vanishing from her face. She suddenly leaned down and hugged me tightly. I winced at the contact and she immediately broke away. "is anything broken? Where does it hurt?" she asked worriedly.

"everywhere," I answered truthfully. I heard Rei chuckle.

"no small wonder, crashing into all that plating," he said, still laughing. "but seriously Kai, do we have to get you to the ER?" he asked. I struggled to sit up and Becky's arms were there, unnecessarily supporting me as I sat upright.

"no-" I broke off with a wince. "I feel like a massive bruise, but nothing's broken or bleeding, I think." I tensed and stretched my body, but other than a tight pain in my muscles, I was alright. I heard Becky inhale sharply as I twisted my head to look back at her.

"you're bleeding!" she exclaimed, looking at the side of my head. I raised my hand and probed around my skull. I felt the tackiness just under my hairline on the back of my neck. Rei kneeled down next to me and he inspected the cut without any protest from me. I remember us doing this all the time when we were younger, when we wiped out. It was automatic to let him check.

"don't worry Becky, it's shallow. But we'll have to take you for a tetanus shot, and maybe stitches. Ready to get up?" he asked. _Why is he being so friendly? Is it because of Becky? And how did they know I was here? _he lifted me off the ground without warning, making my head spin; he had to practically carry me because my legs weren't co-operating. I saw Becky open the back door of his car, and then scoot inside. I landed heavily on the seat and would have toppled over if she hadn't been there. she was tight up against me, my shoulder digging into her collarbone as she wrapped her arm around me.

"my bike?" I asked suddenly. I felt the growl vibrate through her frame.

"it's better off than you, you idiot," she breathed angrily.

* * *

Becky's POV

"what were you doing?" I asked. Again. he was sitting on one side of the small hospital bed, holding an ice-pack to the cut, while I was standing at the opposite end. We were alone in a private room, Rei having gone off with a nurse to fill out a form. He took the ice-pack off his neck, opening his mouth to say something.

I stopped him before_ I_ knew I was stopping him: suddenly sitting next to him and holding the ice-pack against the cut, my left hand holding his shoulder for balance.

"you're supposed to keep it there until the swelling goes down," I scolded him. I saw him grin sheepishly out of the corner of my eye, and then he turned serious.

"how did you find me?" I took a while to answer.

"I just knew… that you would go there," I said slowly.

"mind-reading?" he said sarcastically.

"no, just similar personalities." I head his teeth clack together. I think he was forcing back a retort. "was it… because of this morning?" I asked hesitantly. His shoulder tensed under my fingers. "kai, I'm-"

"is it all a game? Are you playing me off with Rei?" he asked tersely. I felt my grip loosen briefly on the ice-pack.

"no! no, I'd never-"

"you're lying."

"kai, there's nothing going on-"

"then why were you crying? Why did you run away? Why did you two lock yourself in your room?" I felt the blood rush into my cheeks. I was still keeping my hold on the pack and his shoulder, I don't know how.

"we didn't- we weren't- kai, you're misinterpreting everything!" I exclaimed. He turned to face me: I lost my balance and had to catch myself on the mattress. I was now _way_ too close to him.

"am I?" he said in a dark tone. I suddenly felt angry.

"I don't have to tell you everything that goes on in my life."

"yeah, but when I'm involved… I'd like to know where I stand," he replied angrily. I couldn't think of anything to say to that. Then this morning… _it happened? It wasn't just relief? _I could feel his eyes drilling into me as I puzzled it out.

"what are you thinking?" he asked softly. _thinking… _that's what got me into this mess. Thinking all of this over and over and over again, until I got so wrapped up in it that I couldn't escape the worry and fear that the questions trapped me with. It all became circular and I never got an answer, no matter what angle I looked at them from.

I hated being stuck, hated not knowing, hated questioning every move I made, every thought I had. I never just felt, never just did, never acted on the feeling in the centre of my chest that pounded when things became intense. What was all that therapy worth, if I wasn't going to use it, if I wasn't going to let go and just live?

"kiss me," I told him, my voice barely coming out. He looked at me in shock.

"what?" I felt my body start trembling in nervousness. _I can't believe i'm doing this! But I need to know._

"I said, kiss me," I repeated, slightly stronger but still feeling anxious. _Let me down easy if you're not go-_

* * *

Kai's POV

I felt like I was holding a fragile glass figurine in my hands as I cupped her face. What she was asking… I didn't want to break her, _again_, but I wanted to do as she asked. I held her gently, just looking. She smiled faintly; to me, it looked like I had interrupted her mid-thought.

"well?" she said nervously.

"looking." She managed to roll her eyes at me.

"I'm loosing my nerve, K-" I couldn't hold back anymore, and even though my body protested at the way I was twisting it, I pulled her to me, threading my fingers through her hair, trapping her arms at her sides. She was frozen for a few seconds, and then she let me.

God, this was it... this was what would have happened if I hadn't listened to Tala… I held her harder at his name, refusing to think on it. She tasted fresh, probably the toothpaste she used, and there was something else that I couldn't identify, but I knew it was just _her_, her particular flavour, and I wanted more. I _needed_ to have her.

She was completely limp in my arms, letting herself be propped up against my chest. But it wasn't like she wasn't reacting, that she was just _there_: she responded by being open; I could feel how she was unwinding, letting her lips be kissed, her hair threaded through my fingers, her heart beating against mine. I could feel it too: letting go.

Letting go of the past: of everything I had ever said to her; all those times I had had pushed and shoved her; everything that I had been told for the promise of connections… _those stupid fucking lies… _I could feel the anger beginning to bite at my nerves. I held Becca tighter, struggling to keep it from infecting this connection. She pulled away from me suddenly, just breaking contact. It felt cold.

"air…!" she breathed in relief. She was gasping for breath, a strange smile on her face. "didn't we do this already?"

"no…" I said slowly. "that involved a mug of tea, and apologies. And then the one after that was-" she had her hand over my mouth.

"I don't want to talk about that. I just want now." she took her hand away and leaned in. I obliged her, and this time she joined in. _until _the nurse came in, snapping the curtain open, followed by the doctor on-call, forcing us to jump back from the tangled knot we'd gotten in. her cheeks were flaming red as she scooted off the bed, avoiding eye contact with the nurse who had a knowing grin on her face.

"let's examine that cut, Mr Hiwatari."

* * *

Tala's POV

Not good. Not good at fucking all. I was supposed to aggravate the situation, make the mildly bad into something that couldn't be fixed. At the rate they were going, I would loose my chance to break- okay, test their union. _Damnit! _I needed tension, frustration, rage, _tears _for god's sake!

I tried to think of something, _anything _I had done to either of them that had influenced a blow-out for Kai, or break with Becky. Absolute FUCK-ALL came to mind! I stopped pacing my room, forcing myself to take deep breaths. I had to stop. I had to just think.

Weakness. It popped into my head just as I went calm. Both of them had that in common. Becky was vulnerable to criticism, always has been. She agonizes over everyone judging her in every single thing she did. Kai's weakness was the pressure he had from his grandfather: making a name for himself, taking over the corporation when his grandfather retired. If I could figure out a way to play these off of each-other… but how?

I sat down in my desk chair, pulled my book closer, and started to write what I knew. The night of my party was the key to all this. I'd gotten to them. Both. Could I make it work again, now that they had taken the next step? I tapped the pen against the page.

I had to get Kai to threaten Becky's self-esteem, think he's downgrading, or that he's playing her; I had to get Becky to threaten Kai's progress into the role his grandfather was training him for, that he would loose contacts and opportunities. It looked easier on paper, in black and white; made more sense as bullet-points too.

Becky was easy, anything set her off.

Kai was going to be a problem. He could hold to his values so inflexibly, it was easier said than done to cause a crack in his armour. But then it hit me: get Becky nerve-wracked, and Kai would start questioning his choice.

So I had to start with her. I grinned. Out of all the unions I'd been part of, her mind was the most fun to play with. _Afford me some sadistic pleasure in this incarnation. _

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

PO: oh, this is getting more complicated to write… sigh… I WANT happy, but we've still got a couple of mountains to go over before this is done. I'll stop moaning now…

Zicky: just go visit some other stories for now ..pats shoulder..

PO: one last thing-

Zicky: spot the change! Now shoo…


	17. Still is So

Witch-Bitch

* * *

Disclaimer: Only the strangers herein are mine.

Author's Note: this is complete AU

Author's Note: I'm going to be adding more 1st POVs, so names will be used from now on.

Note on Fonts: please look at previous chapters.

* * *

Chapter 17: still is so

* * *

Rei's POV

This was… I had- really, what could I do? My job was nearly done, by the look of things. I grimaced inwardly. I wanted this, and I didn't. when they came out of the room to meet me at the nurse's station, they weren't touching, or looking as if they had made up from this morning. if you hadn't known them like I did, you would've said they were just friends.

But there was this look of giddy happiness on Becky's face. And on Kai's, just a hint of satisfaction showing through. So there it was.

"thanks Rei. For filling out the papers," Kai said awkwardly when they stopped in front of me. I stood up from my chair, shrugged.

"not an issue. Let's go," I said as I turned around, more to Becky than Kai.

"uh Rei? About my bike-"

"I'll drop you guys first, then go back to my place and get the bike-tow-"

"you still have it?" he asked in amazement.

"yeah." I stopped, then decided to be civil, for Becky's sake. "it wasn't always a bike-trailer, Kai. I use it for my deliveries now."

"Rei, what did you tell them happened?" Becky asked me tentatively. So she was unsure still. I knew she had it figured out, that it had finally clicked in her mind when she broke away from herself in my car. But she was still coming to terms with just _knowing _that.

"that Kai had fallen onto the bar at the Ellipse." She knew what I was talking about, she had fallen onto it a couple of times. I realised I had unintentionally opened a door for them, and groaned inwardly. I heard her sigh of relief.

"I haven't skated in years, Rei. What if they do a follow up with the manager?" Kai demanded.

"they won't. believe me, they see enough of us here during the weekend to know the score," Becky assured him. I gritted my teeth, glad that I couldn't see them being affectionate behind my back. I heard him suddenly pick up on the 'us'.

"you?" he said in disbelief. _Oh, this is just nauseating. _

"yes, me. what, you think I stay inside with my books all day?" she teased, slightly hurt, but not taking his ignorance seriously. _Oh gods, let this just be 'pride & prejudice: re-incarnated'. Or part two. 'the sequel'. Bloody hell… _

* * *

Kai's POV

"how long?" I asked her as I turned her 'blades over in my hands. Rei had already dropped us and then brought my scrambler back here. Becky and I were once again alone in the house, her parents having gone out for a private dinner. it wasn't as uncomfortable as before, but I still wasn't allowed in her room; I don't know whether that's from before, or from this new situation we were in now.

"since the craze started." She ran her fingers through her hair absently, stretching her legs out over the arm of the couch. Long, incredibly sexy, jean-clad legs. "six, seven? I don't really remember. I got them for my birthday and I didn't really take them seriously, but then Ricky got into skating and I didn't want to be left to just watch. And then he left and it went dormant for a few months. Rei…" she paused for a second, gritting her teeth temporarily. "Rei pushed me to start again after- well, you know," she said in an apologetic tone.

I knew. I kept quiet, looking at them more critically. Completely black, they were scratched and scored just above the wheels so repeatedly that they formed a broad, grey stripe on either side. The inside shoe was also black but looked faded and worn in. the clasps were custom, definitely not part of the original model, and a dark-red colour. On the back of both blades were upside-down triangles, painted in a brighter red than the clasps.

"so you skate?" she asked, breaking my study. I put the 'blades on the floor and leaned back into the chair.

"used to. till I got my quad-bike , and then scrambler, and then the Katana," I replied.

"spoilt, aren't we, mister Hiwatari?" she mocked, turning her head to face me. her eyes were sparkling with mischief. Before she knew it, I had pounced on top of her and was tickling her ribs. She giggled like mad, weakly protesting and failing to push me away.

"depends on who's doing the spoiling," I ragged at her, hinting at before. she was soon completely out of breath, wheezing her laughter, and I had to stop, with much reluctance. She gasped for air underneath me, completely flat on her back along the length of the couch. I braced myself above her and just smiled.

"uncle," I said for her. she grinned, wiping the tears from her eyes. _Uncle, _she mouthed. A moment later, something creeped into her eyes; the grin faded, she recovered her breathing, and her eyes became bright. She shifted under my weight.

"Kai, get off." I thought I could tease her back into her comfort zone.

"no. I'm comfortable."

"I mean it, Kai. Get off me," she demanded shakily.

"why?" I asked, curious as to why she was getting so worked up about this.

"do you want your truth or mine?" I could see her breathing quicken in panic. I sort-of understood what she was asking.

"yours." She closed her eyes, attempting to calm herself.

" I wish you hadn't said that," she muttered. "and I wish I wasn't so damned honest." She took in a deep breath and what she said next caught me completely off guard.

"it's too soon for those parts of our anatomy to be touching."

* * *

Becky's POV

_Why did I have to say it? Now he's going to think I'm an emotional idiot. Keep your eyes closed, maybe he didn't hear you. of course he did, you moron! How could anyone _not _hear that loaded answer! Fuck, did I just ruin everything? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO THINK THAT WORD! other things, think other things… clouds, metallica, anything- shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. I have to open my eyes someti- _

I felt suddenly relieved of his body pressure, and I let out the breath I was holding in. I couldn't open my eyes just yet. I felt so embarrassed; I could feel my cheeks heating up. I'd just admitted to thinking of this in another way, _him _in another way. _Can't I ever keep a secret to myself? Yes, others, just not your own. Crap…_

"Becca, what do you mean?" he asked softly. my spine turned to water. He said it again. twice now. I don't even think he knew he was calling me that again. it made me feel even more uncertain now. "unscrew your eyes for just one minute and explain," he insisted. I didn't. open my eyes, I mean.

"you know exactly what I meant, and don't make me further humiliate myself by asking me to say it out loud," I said, starting out in a squeak but then getting some resemblance of normality in my voice. He was quiet after I answered. I wondered what he was thinking, what emotions were crossing his face while he thought on my words. If ever there was a time for a black hole to appear, it would be now.

"I won't…" he exhaled loudly. I opened my eyes to the tiniest slits and looked at him. his eyes caught immediately on mine and I had to open them wider.

"it's barely the end of the first day and you're already thinking that far ahead?" he attempted to downplay with humour, smiling weakly. _Don't get-_

"don't make fun of me, Kai!" I snapped. _oh great: you did._ the smile faded off his face. I sat up quickly, turning to face him at eye-level. "I didn't mean to sound like that," I said hastily, trying to apologize. "I just- well, how can it not cross your mind?" _wrong turn, backtrack NOW. _"what I mean- you always think ahead, don't you, when you kiss somebody?" _close, expand on that. _"being together doesn't mean just lips and words, right? You've got to think of what's coming next if you love each-oth-" _oh SHIT, I said it! Damnit! _I buried my face in my hands, totally defeated and mortified. I heard a short chuckle come from him. _I've totally lost the plot._

"you are so cute when you get tangled in your own tangent," he said affectionately. I looked through my fingers at him, totally confused. He stood up from the floor and sat beside me, putting an arm round my shoulders. I tensed for a second and then forced myself to stop.

"what?" I said stupidly, putting my hands down. He traced my cheek with his finger, just like the other night.

"I won't go there if you don't want to," he said gently. "but you've got to understand that I need to touch, and hug, and hold, and play with you like you're all mine, like you're my kitten. It can't just be when we kiss. it has to be all the time." With every word he said, I could feel the centre of my chest tighten into a knot, harder and more difficult to untie with his explanation.

"Becca?" he said, asking for my answer. With a final jolt, the last knot was tied. His eyes peered at me, waiting patiently for me to say something.

"go slow," I pleaded. He smiled reassuringly and pulled me closer to him. my heart thudded against my ribcage. _I have to fight it. But I don't know if I can._

* * *

Tala's POV

Perfect! Just a little nudge in the right direction, just the tiniest crack in this precious shell, and all the forces of their nature would weigh down on it, the pressure building until either one or the other _cracked_.

"Tala," someone said behind me. I knew who it was and turned around slowly, just to annoy him. but when I turned around, the person I was expecting wasn't there. Instead-

"Tessa. What a pleasure." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"spare me the crap. What are you doing here?"

"taking a break from driving. You know how it is, joints ache, eyes tire-"

"why at this particular house?" her blue eyes sparked dangerously in my direction.

"thought I should visit Kai, see how he is," I replied. She rolled her eyes.

"weak, Tala, even for you," she said, her voice dripping with acid. I felt my temper flare, but held it back.

"really and truly. And why would it concern you?" I took a step towards her, attempting to make her step back with my bullying, but it didn't faze her.

"she's my friend too. Now why don't you just leave?" I sensed a threat to her tone. I didn't want to make a scene, so I just smiled and shrugged.

"all right, you win. I'll go," I replied, heading towards my car. I felt her eyes on me as I got into the seat, revved the engine, and reversed out of the driveway. I gave her a cheerful, sarcastic wave, and then I was heading home. _Bitch._

* * *

Rei's Mentor's POV

"we have a problem. You know what mine's about, and now it concerns yours too."

"what is it?"

"Tala is becoming too involved. He's doing this for his own pleasure, instead of the Union." He sighed.

"I knew this would eventually happen." I heard water rippling around him. I rolled my eyes.

"why are you still in your conduit?"

"he's a better surfer than I was." He sighed again. "I'll monitor him. if it gets more out of hand, I'll take care of him. pity that we can't reassign new Guardians, hey?"

"yes. a pity," I said sarcastically.

"don't be like that Anya," he chastised me.

"I didn't expect it would be this difficult when we… volunteered." He was quiet for a while.

"I know. They did warn us though."

"they did." I heard him smile.

"I'll talk to you soon."

**To be continued…**

* * *

PO: wow, I just introduced so many twists in this one, I'm really proud of myself!

Rei: she is. Grinning like the Cheshire cat to the screen.

Zicky: not so maniacally as she usually is.

PO: hey, I'm still here!

Rei & Zicky: we know

P.S. what can I say? sorry for the long break in transmission, I had a honours paper of plus 30 pages to do in 5 months. Thanks for sticking around )bows(


End file.
